HAPPY TRAILS

Catching Up

2009-11-22T13:42:00.000-08:00

HELLO BLOG WORLD! Oh, how I have missed you. I have no good reason for walking away, so I'll take the easy road and blame it on Barack Obama...and the fact that Oprah is canceling her show. I don't actually watch her show, but I'm pointing fingers nonetheless.

Much has happened since my last post four months ago. I did manage to snap a few photographs during the craziness of it all, so I'll attempt to quickly recap my life in pictures...

I mentioned in my last post that a few friends and I climbed Mt. Massive in July. This is the "before" picture taken in front of the mountain.

...and the "after " shot. What you can't see in this picture is that the soles of BOTH of my shoes fell off about three miles into the climb. My toes began to peek out of my shoes about 3 1/2 miles into the climb. It was then that I began my love affair with duct tape and Ace bandages.

Not long after the Mt. Massive hike, a few friends and I hiked from Aspen to Crested Butte in the peak of wildflower season. We stayed in Crested Butte for a couple of days before hiking back and had a great time. The scenery was amazing even though the pictures don't begin to capture what we saw.

A few days after the hike to Crested Butte, I loaded up the car and headed south.

You'll be happy to know that Jed and Granny arrived safely.

Job one after arriving into town was to take a trip to Brenham to visit the little creamery. I was introduced to Nutty Chocolate and a few other flavors, and I haven't been the same since.

I was only in town a few days before I began school. I honestly love my job....I mean, as much as you can love a job. I have great kids, a great administration, and a great team of teachers. The atmosphere is incredibly positive, and the building is beautiful. For the first time, I have a window in my classroom. I love it!

I have also spent much of my time with family and trying as best as possible to catch up with old friends. I did manage to sneak in a trip to Colorado Springs a few weeks ago, however. I stayed with my friend Kari for the weekend. The weather was beautiful on Saturday, so we went on a short hike. I got to experience the best of both worlds though because it snowed on Sunday. It was a great weekend to catch up with friends, and I'm very excited to visit again soon.

Moving back has definitely had its ups and downs. I miss Colorado desperately, but I am enjoying the blessings of Houston. Among them are...

Madison

Cade

Zach

and Reid.

I'm also looking forward to sharing in the blessing of the birth of a new niece in April!

Moving

2009-07-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

It's official. I moved out of my Colorado Springs home Tuesday morning and have taken up residence in my car. It's a cozy existence, to say the least. Actually, I am staying with several different friends here in the Springs before heading to Aspen to spend some time with Beth next week. Right now, I am sitting in Pike's Perk Coffee Shop in downtown Colorado Springs where the people watching is well worth the price of my mango smoothie. I think my favorite customer is "The Cackler" sitting to my right. She thinks everything is funny...everything. I am also intrigued by the fact that her lips cease to move long before the laughter stops coming out of her mouth. It's weird...and fascinating all at the same time.

The last few weeks have been quite eventful. My mom was in town for a few days, and then Beth came with her two daughters just after my mom returned to Houston. I don't have much photographic evidence of either of their stays, but suffice it to say that good times were had by all.

Sadly, one picture I did take was of the "Mother Load" pancake at The Pantry in Green Mountain Falls. My mom and I made an attempt at it while she was here, and then I took Beth and her girls for round two a few days later. I'm not sure what more to say about the Mother Load except that it is like manna from heaven....really BIG manna. Not even Paula Deen and her double burner griddle could produce this delectable wonderfulness.

The day after Beth left to go home, I headed up to Leadville with a few friends to hike Mount Massive. This is a blog post in and of itself. As soon as I get the pictures from Kari, I'll fill you in on this little adventure.

After all the fun of the fourth of July week, I started the long and tedious packing process. All was going well until I discovered on moving day that my "pod" was entirely too small for my belongings. Unfortunately, the items I could have left behind were packed in the BACK of the pod leaving me to choose from the "pack last" items in the front of the pod. This included my clothes, important files, and school books and supplies for my classroom...all things I might just need once I arrive in Houston.

I'm not kidding when I say that I considered selling my car and purchasing a mini van in an effort to find a solution to my problem. I also called PODS to assure them that their room estimate was off and that they should credit my account with the amount of money it would take to purchase a new mini van as well as a mani/pedi and a massage. They assured me that they would not meet my demands but would be willing to send over a second pod at full price. I assured them that I would not be paying for a second pod and that I would be blogging about them which meant that at least four other people would know of their shenanigans. They didn't budge. So, my latest plan is to pack all of my excess items in a soft side carrier on the top of my car... along with a some sort of bench so that Granny and Jethro will have a place to sit on the trip home. It should be a fun ride!

After the PODS fiasco, I stayed up late into the night to finish all of the last minute packing and cleaning. I think I finally laid down around 3:30am. I had planned to wake up at 6:30 and finish the final details which would have been plenty of time since the new tenants weren't due to arrive until noon. Instead, my doorbell rang at 6:17. Standing at my door was the new tenant, seemingly unaware that it wasn't noon quite yet. He informed me that his movers would were scheduled to arrive between eight and eleven, leaving me to wonder why we were having a conversation on my doorstep in the wee small hours of the morning. So, for the next few hours, the new tenants and their cat watched as I packed what remained of my life in Colorado. It was a special time...just how I had always envisioned it.

Swept Up In The Current

2009-06-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

I was having lunch with a friend last week, and she asked if I ever felt as though I was being swept up in the current of life. I was thankful for her question because it perfectly illustrated my journey over the past few months. There have been times throughout my life when I have taken deliberate steps toward a particular goal or decision. Then, there have been situations where I have felt as though I was simply swept into the current...where I have eventually looked back and thought to myself, "What in the world just happened?" This is one of those times.

When I planned my move to Colorado Springs, it was a long process that required nearly a year of preparation and prayer. At every step of my journey, God confirmed that I was headed in the right direction. I never feared my move here, and I never worried that I was making the wrong decision. It wasn't always easy, but I knew it was right.

Today, I find myself at the end of my time here in Colorado. I will be moving back to Texas at the end of end of next month to take a job at a new middle school in Cy-Fair. While I am excited about my job and the idea of being close to the people I love most in the world, I don't want to leave Colorado. I have prayed for the Lord to keep me here...to throw a boulder in the stream that would change my course, but that doesn't seem to be His plan. I feel as though I have been swept into the current, and all I know to do at this point is to hang on and follow God's lead.

I am not dreading my move to Texas. I love Texas, and I love Texans (and I love that I can get Blue Bell, Tex Mex, and a good pedicure on just about every street corner in Texas). But, my time in Colorado has provided me with an opportunity to focus on my relationship with the Lord with few distractions. I have just begun to learn what it means to trust Him, to worship Him, and to rest in Him. I can stare at the mountains for hours and get lost in their Creator...His enormity, His vastness, and His greatness. I am enveloped by His beauty every single day, and I have never gotten over it.

Journeying into the familiar is more frightening to me than stepping into the unknown because it is in the familiar that I tend to trust myself. Perhaps, that is why the Lord led me into a current that is noticeably uncontrollable. Maybe I needed to be reminded that an essential part of trust is the acknowledgment that I am not in control. Whatever the case may be, this I do know...the God who controls my course is the same God who controls the river, so there is no safer place than when I am swept into the current of life.

Kari's Big Day

2009-06-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

When I moved here a few years ago, I prayed that the Lord would provide me with at least one close single friend. He did. I met Kari almost immediately after I moved here at a Bible Study across town. As it turned out, we "just so happened" to live less than a mile from each other. We have spent countless hours shopping, talking, running, exercising, eating, hiking, laughing, worshiping, and praying together. Kari has been one of my greatest blessings in Colorado, and I can't imagine this adventure without her. Yesterday, Kari got married.

A few months ago, Kari asked if I would be willing to carry a walkie talkie at the wedding to help coordinate the wedding party during the processional. Feeling somewhat empowered by the idea of carrying a two way radio at a ceremonial event, I enthusiastically agreed. However, somewhere along the way I was promoted to the role of "wedding coordinator". I'm not really sure when that happened or why it did because have I mentioned that I've never actually coordinated a wedding...or planned one?

I'll admit to you that I didn't take my new found responsibilities too seriously, especially after learning that the reception would be at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. But....as it turns out, I really was expected to provide believable answers to complicated questions at the rehearsal on Thursday. Fortunately, my job as a middle school teacher has provided me with a number of opportunities to fabricate answers and then speak them with authority.

In spite of an incompetent wedding coordinator, the ceremony did manage to flow quite smoothly. Kari chose a picture perfect Colorado day for an outdoor wedding, and everyone and everything looked absolutely beautiful.

After the wedding, we had about an hour and a half before the official start of the reception. I had hiked quite a few hills in the hours leading up to the ceremony, so I decided to swing by my condo and clean up a bit before heading to the zoo. I also wanted to change into my khaki shorts and white button down shirt. And safari hat.

I rode to the reception with my friends, Brian and Chris, who had both been in charge of distributing driving directions at the wedding. Of course, navigating our way to a zoo we had all visited at least once seemed to be such a simple task that we chose to disregard the map and take a shortcut.

This is a picture taken from the inside of a mountain along our "shortcut" route. Yes, what you see is a dirt road. And...yes, I'm pretty sure we were in the middle of the national forest during at least part of our journey. We considered turning around a time or two but chose instead to forge ahead and hope that we didn't land at the top of Pike's Peak. The good news is that we discovered some new hiking trails and waterfalls and even spotted some wildlife along the way. The bad news is that the wedding coordinator arrived with the flowers for the cake table approximately forty-five minutes after the start of the reception.

Chris and me

Brian and me

After dinner, we had the opportunity to continue our pre-zoo wildlife adventure with a tour of the "Into the Wild" section of the zoo.

We also had the opportunity to ride the carousel after dinner. But, apparently the wedding coordinator's duties spill into the reception, so I spent the rest of the evening cutting cake and pretending to be in charge.

Congratulations, Barry and Kari! Thank you for including me in your special day. I wish you both the very best in your new life together, and I look forward to watching the Lord work in and through you in the years to come. May you be richly blessed.

8th Grade Trip 2009

2009-06-16T12:25:00.001-07:00

I returned from the Goodson Middle School annual 8th grade trip a few days ago. As always, I had a complete blast and came home absolutely exhausted. Our trip started in Washington D.C. then continued to Hershey, Amish Country, and New York City. This year, my trip concluded with a bonus stay in Minneapolis courtesy of Northwest Airlines and their broken airplane.

After five days in four cities and three hotels with seventy-five eighth graders, I was very ready to be home. As you can imagine, I was less than thrilled to learn that I would be spending an extra night in a hotel. Wanting to get at least one step closer to home, I chose to take a later flight to Minneapolis and spend the night there instead of riding it out an additional day in Queens.

Goodness knows that I hold myself to a relatively high standard when it comes to airplane etiquette, but I was past the point of caring when I boarded the plane five hours after my scheduled departure. I fell asleep as soon as I slid into my seat and only woke up to enjoy a cup of cold water and a package of peanuts. To be honest, I really wasn't interested in food or drink at that point in my journey. I'm not sure what prompted me to even wake up long enough to partake of the airplane delicacy, but I did. I do remember struggling to appear as if I was alert enough to be feeding myself. I'm quite sure I failed to pull it off. Certainly, nothing about me was very appealing at the time.

When the plane landed around midnight, I was deep in the throes of a restless night's sleep but managed to make a grand entrance into the airport when I lost my footing on a misplaced rug. Fortunately, my carry-on suitcase provided me enough support to regain my balance. I might have been embarrassed under normal circumstances, but at that point I was too tired to concern myself with the cares of others.

I somehow navigated my way to the ticket desk where I retrieved my hotel and meal vouchers and then stumbled through the airport to the hotel shuttle. My shuttle driver, who had apparently just arrived from the year 1974, was clearly oblivious to my pathetic state of affairs and attempted to carry on a meaningful conversation with me throughout our fifteen minute ride to the hotel. When the front desk called to alert him of a security situation, he informed me that his job also included night time security guard and coffee barista...and from what I gathered in our seemingly endless conversation, "hotel historian".

After a brief stop to pick up my key at the front desk, I headed to my room only to be greeted by the overwhelming stench of body odor. Considering my journey to that point, I did check to see if it was my own. It wasn't. So, I proceeded to engage in some sort of incoherent conversation with myself where I questioned my justification in requesting another room. My high maintenance self won, as it usually does, so I called the clerk at the front desk to notify him of the situation. When I arrived downstairs to claim my new room assignment, he laughed and informed me that maintenance workers had been in my room. Come to find out, guests had complained of the smell all week. Feeling somewhat validated and equally puzzled by the fact that the scent from a human being can linger that long, I made my way to my new room and finally went to bed.

After a restful four hours of sleep, I caught the shuttle back to the airport. I won't go into my whole security line fiasco, but suffice it to say that Homeland Security has likely opened a file on me. Eventually, I found my gate and boarded what I hoped would be an uneventful flight to Colorado Springs.

As luck would have it, I was seated next to a fourteen foot cowboy who was sporting a plaid button-down and a purple bolo tie. Since his shoulders were too broad to fit within the parameters of his own seat, he chose to share mine and I was forced to shift a good portion of my tired self into the aisle. It would be too long and painful to paint an accurate picture of my unusual seating configuration, but know that I considered requesting compensation for the shoulder abuse I sustained throughout the duration of our flight.

One of the many highlights of my trip was when the flight attendant drove her drink cart into my arm and then tactfully informed that I was sitting in the aisle. Apparently, her critical thinking skills failed to alert her to the fact that Cowboy Dan had left me with nowhere else to go. She was also short on solutions when the tall man's cup of coffee found its way into my lap. Fortunately, he was kind enough to offer his spare bandana so I could clean up the mess.

Exhausted,wet, and with minimal fanfare, I finally arrived safely at the Colorado Springs airport. Give me another week and a few shots of whiskey, and I think I would be willing to do it all over again.

B.O.'s new house. "YES WE CAN!"

The FDR Memorial. Apparently, the sound of rushing water really can make you have to go to the bathroom.

SWEET kids!

These girls were obviously overwhelmed by the images of the Great Depression. I really think they got it.

Only an illusion

I could have used these on my trip home!

Putt Putt Golf at Hershey Lodge. I'm not really sure where the kids were at the time.

Like the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land...

Notice the New Year's Ball just above the lights that say "2009". As it turns out, items really are smaller than they appear on TV.

Again...only an illusion

The Seinfeld Restaurant

In front of the bridge where Kevin met the bird lady...

I Still Hate Dressy Shoes

2009-06-06T18:47:00.001-07:00

I managed to dig up a bit of photographic evidence to prove my long standing hatred for dressy shoes. As you can see, there are only three children in this picture...so this obviously goes back a few years. As the story goes, I was not at all happy about the fact that I had to wear my black dress shoes to the family photo shoot. Allegedly, I cried a few tears (or had a meltdown...whatever) which caused me to arrive at the Olan Mills studio looking as if I had just gone a few rounds with Muhammed Ali. Unfortunately, the color has changed over time thereby erasing the red circles around my eyes, but know this...the scars still run deep.

That aside...

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that my entire family, with the exception of Tara, has the same hairstyle?

"Fight Yellow Teeth"

2009-06-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

I was reading an article online when this picture emerged on my screen along with an add for teeth-whitening. Now, I'm no dentist, but I think I can speak with confidence when I say that this individual has more problems than a few Crest white strips is going to fix. For starters, let's lay off the banana flavored snow cones and think about purchasing a tube of toothpaste...and a little floss perhaps.

Am I Too Young to Shop at the SAS Shoe Factory?

2009-06-03T17:47:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a break from my not-so-busy summer schedule by shopping for shoes today. Unlike most girls, I do not enjoy walking the mall in search of the perfect pair of shoes. As I have mentioned before, I only like clothing and footwear that provide comfort and warmth. These criteria have worked well for me here in Colorado Springs where a person can transition from the workplace to a hiking trail without changing their wardrobe. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure my Chaco's won't be sufficient when I head to the theater in New York next week.

My goal today was to purchase a simple black sandal with enough of a heel to make my calves look thin and and my legs look shapely. As it turns out, they don't make heels quite that high. And, as it turns out, I can't walk in a heel much higher than a quarter of an inch. Couple that with the fact that I hate uncomfortable shoes, and you can begin to see my dilemma.

To make matters worse, I have a ridiculous list of shoe fetishes that makes shopping for footwear an impossibility. For one, I have no tolerance for toe cleavage. I blame this on my Southern Baptist roots. And Barack Obama. Number two, I don't like shoes that cause my toes to squirt out the end as if they are a party to some sort of Play-Doh Fun Factory event. Not even a toe ring can make that look right. Lastly, I simply can't enjoy a sandal where the heel causes the weight of my entire body to rest solely on the straps between the little piggies that went to market and the little piggies that stayed home. The basic law of physics tells me I'm right on this one. Actually, I have never stepped foot into a physics class...but if I had, it would have been in a pair of running shoes.

As you might imagine, my shopping trip only served to solidify my disdain for dressy footwear. I do plan to head out again tomorrow in the hopes that shoe manufacturers across the country have heard my plea for a comfortable dress shoe. Until then, I'm open to your suggestions.

Croquet, Anyone?

2009-06-01T09:49:00.001-07:00

Today is the first Monday that I did not have to wake up to go to school. Unfortunately, my upstairs neighbor is unaware of my summertime sleeping habits and was nice enough to pound out a wake up call at 5:40am this morning. I love her. At 7am, my dreams of sleeping in were officially crushed when I received a phone call that someone would be showing my condo at 8:30. With this news, I was up for good.

I had hoped to spend some time hiking while my condo was occupied, but the weather refused to cooperate with my plans. Instead, I threw on some clothes and headed for SuperTarget because...is there any better way to waste time? I think not. On my way out of my condo complex, I caught site of a couple in the midst of some sort of meditation ritual on their patio. Odd...but, whatever. I drove on and began to reflect back on another interesting scene I witnessed yesterday at a friend's house.

After church, Kari and I went to Whole Foods for lunch and groceries and then headed back to her townhome so I could help her with some IT issues. Actually, she just needed to know how to create a playlist on iTunes, but I am rarely called out for any sort of technical assistance. I'm going to milk this for what it's worth. Since the playlist is for her wedding ceremony, I've requested to be credited on the program as "IT Support".

Anyhow, as we walked into Kari's house, I was immediately captured by an event that was taking place outside her back window. Apparently, Anne of Green Gables had flown into town to play a quick game of croquet in the courtyard behind Kari's living room. I wish I was kidding, but a teenage girl sporting some sort of prairie dress and a straw hat was in the midst of an intense competition with her sister and father. I attempted to take pictures, but the glare of the window created a ghostlike image leaving me to wonder if what I was seeing was actually real.
I watched in awe as I was taken back to the happenings of late 19th century America and wondered if perhaps this family was unaware that time had moved on without them.

Later that afternoon, I went home, put on my bonnet and watched an episode of Little House on the Prairie. I kid. I didn't wear my bonnet. Clearly, I'm in a position to judge.

At Last

2009-05-31T14:49:00.000-07:00

I'm two days post pedicure, and all seems to be well on the toe-front. Either my expectations have fallen prey to the Colorado standard, or I have finally found a nail salon that does a semi decent job. My experience was not without incident, however. Once again, the labels had been removed from the nail polish leaving me to make a selection without proper introduction. I tried my best to get acquainted with each color before making a decision, and I thought I knew what I was getting into when I made my choice. Unfortunately, what I thought was a festive pink was, in fact, a cheerful orange. To be honest, the whole ordeal was eerily reminiscent of my dating life. Seriously, how many times have I been 45 seconds into a date when I was overwhelmed by the realization that I had mistakenly chosen "Your Royal Shyness" over "I Pink I Love You"? One too many, I tell you.

There isn't much to say about the rest of my time at the nail salon. This is due in large part to the fact that my appointment lasted all of about thirty minutes, and much of that time was spent allowing various lotions and chemicals to "soak" while my nail technician tended to an assortment of nail salon chores. I might have felt neglected under normal circumstances, but this was the official beginning of my summer vacation. Not even orange toes and a Ritalin deprived nail tech were going to steal that moment from me.

ALMOST Summertime!

2009-05-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

Today is my last official day of school even though my students finished last Thursday. I'm contracted for an extra week because, as we all know, teachers are most creative and productive immediately after school lets out for the summer. There is absolutely nothing in me that desires to step out into the seventy degree sunshine and hike a mountain right now...nothing. I'm devoted to my profession and to my students. Clearly, my extended time here at school is being put to good use.

While the exhilaration that comes from staring at a clock for an entire week is enough to leave you wanting more, it will likely be eclipsed by the thrill of such projects as cleaning out my garage, packing, and scrubbing my baseboards. What can I say? I live life on the edge. Another case in point...I'm leaving in a few hours to get a pedicure...in Colorado. Need I say more? The fear of what might come to my ten little piggies has been enough to steer me away from sandals since my Texas pedicure in March, but I can avoid the inevitable no longer. It simply has to be done. Until then, know that I’ll be spending my afternoon finding creative ways to hang the remainder of my ’08 -’09 school pictures throughout the building.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2009-05-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my mom's birthday. Since I'll be away from my computer on her special day, I want to take this opportunity to wish her a very Happy Birthday. Mom, you truly are amazing. As I look back on our circumstances, schedules, and activities (not to mention our size), I have absolutely no idea how you kept us organized. You somehow managed to cheer us on at just about every basketball game, volleyball game, softball game, track meet, spelling bee, field day, competition, recital, assembly, school play, etc... And, you brought snacks. You made us a priority, always putting yourself last.

I never remember chaos in our home. From midnight homework assignments to emergency room visits, you took everything in stride. You are always the calm in the midst of crisis, and you have a resilience that comes from an uncompromising and steadfast faith. No matter the task or the situation, you quietly persist until the job is done or the problem is resolved.

Few people could advocate and care for TJ the way that you do. You have gracefully and tenaciously fought for him, as you have for the rest of us, through every step of his journey. You are, without a doubt, his biggest fan. Your commitment and devotion to him is an example to us all, and there is no reward this side of heaven that could match the sacrifices that you have made for him...and for each of us. I simply don't have the words to describe the love and gratitude I have for you. Throughout my entire life, you have exemplified the Proverbs 31 woman. So, today I rise up and call you blessed. (Proverbs 31:28). I love you, Mom...every single thing about you. Happy Birthday.

Oh, and I'm sorry about the whole Lifesaver, Handy Andy, hair pulling episode...totally my fault.

O Canada!

2009-05-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a six day trip to Canada with my eighth graders. I traveled to Japan with the same group of kids last year, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them on both trips. I didn't have to deal with a single discipline problem all week! Instead, they kept me laughing throughout our trip. I'm including some pictures. Just so you know, smiling isn't the "in" thing with my students. Don't let them fool you though. We had so much fun!

Mont Royal in Montreal - The park's designer also designed Central Park

The top of Mont Royal with a view of the city

Drew would like for everyone to see his partially eaten cinnamon roll. Thanks, Drew. We're all better for it.

Drew...still celebrating his cinnamon roll.

Quebec City...

I love what my backpack does for my figure here...

Quebec City is the only fortified city north of Mexico. If you look closely, you can see the wall just below the castle.

Only 10% of the churches in Quebec are being used. Many have been turned into theaters, tourist attractions, destroyed and used for parking lots, etc...

Hanging out in the hotel

This is St. Anne's church. I learned that St. Anne is the mother of Mary. Our guide informed me that I would find this information in the Old Testament. I am still looking.

I didn't take a picture of it, but to the left is the actual forearm of St. Anne. Supposedly, it has healing powers. I'm guessing it didn't work for St. Anne.

In addition to having a good time, our primary purpose for traveling was to expose the students to another culture and to learn a few things about the French Canadian lifestyle. These are just some of the educational lessons I gleaned from my visit to Canada...

1. A french roll and a croissant can constitute a complete breakfast.
2. Texans probably shouldn't attempt to speak French.
3. Crepes are quite possibly the most versatile food EVER.
4. Life sized cutouts of Obama are available for purchase in Washington's Dulles airport.
5. Circus people are frightening in every country.
6. The possibility of rain on a weave is cause for distress.
7. Hotel reading lamps in Canada have the unique ability to jump off of walls and crash to the ground.

...and so much more. This was definitely a trip worth taking, and I am thankful to have experienced it with such a fun group of students.

Goodbye, Ski Season!

2009-05-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, a few friends and I had the opportunity to celebrate the end of ski season on twenty-two inches of fresh powder in Winter Park. We had an absolute blast! Despite my enthusiasm, I struggled to find my groove on the slopes. I'm not convinced that I didn't have a touch of the swine flu. I've heard that it's going around. Still, I pressed on...determined to enjoy the day. I even took a free mogul lesson with my friend, Brian. This was not my idea because...did I mention that I had the swine flu? Let's just say that Brian had a great lesson...while I spent my limited energy digging my way out of twenty-two inches of wet powder.

Regardless of my battle with what was almost certainly the onset of a very serious illness...and snow, we had a wonderful day. The weather could not have been more perfect, the crowd was small, the snow was beautiful, and I was with a great group of friends. To top it off, we stopped at Beau Jo's in Idaho Springs on the way home. I love me some Beau Jo's. Honestly, the pizza is far from great, but I'll dine anywhere that provides honey for my super sized pizza crust. It truly is genius.

Even better, our entire meal was free! This was what you might call a "follow up appointment" to our four and a half hour Valentine's Day fiasco. It would be far too painful to recount the details of that night, but we somehow managed to walk away with $300 dollars worth of free pizza...and 800 billion free calories. It was quite a bargain...so much so that my super sized thighs and I will be celebrating the beginning of hiking season as soon as possible!

Beau Jo's famous Mountain Pie

Graupel in Yoder

2009-04-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

I was hoping for a snow day today. Unfortunately, I chose to work in the school district that hasn't closed once in the last two years. Fantastic! My time spent watching the news in anticipation of our winter weather closure was not completely in vain, however. I learned a new word. It seems that this late spring snow isn't just any run of the mill precipitation. What we are experiencing here is "graupel". Graupel is a wet snow. I usually refer to it as slush, but I'm from the south. What do I know?

After a treacherous drive through the graupel this morning, I arrived to work armed with my new word and my bad attitude. I should, after all, have been curled up on my sofa watching the gentle graupel-fall out my living room window. Instead, I was forced to educate the handful of students who braved the weather and showed up at school. I probably could have accepted our graupel day fate if it hadn't been for the fact that even Yoder had a two hour delay.

Disclaimer: I honestly don't know much about Yoder except that it is on the plains halfway to Kansas and that the mere mention of its name somehow takes me to my happy place among the Amish.

Quite frankly, I had a hard time understanding how a commute through Yoder could justify a delay while I was expected to forge ahead through snow pellets and other threatening weather conditions. My only traffic advantage was the fact that the rest of the city was shut down leaving all of the District Two employees to navigate the roads alone...much like rush hour traffic in Yoder. Despite the circumstances, I arrived to school safely and determined to put my new vocabulary word to use. Unfortunately, it became evident throughout the day that "graupel" is a term known only to weathermen. And perhaps the Amish.

I'm Dreaming of a White Easter

2009-04-12T14:13:00.001-07:00

I am cuddled up in front of a fire looking out my window at a snow covered hill as I write this entry. It doesn't feel much like Easter, but I sure am enjoying these last few days of wintry weather. This was the scene outside my door this morning...

Before church, my small group went to brunch at a friend's house in Monument. This is the view from the back porch...

**Note to self - Don't take the Corolla to Monument on a snowy morning. It could be a tough ride. By the way, I would like to give a shout out here to every guy who pushed my car up a hill today. High fives all around.

To be honest, I haven't always celebrated the Easter season with the passion that it deserves. It seems to be the holiday that slips past me before I really take the time to appreciate its meaning and purpose. Somehow, this year was different though. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to go to my church's production of The Thorn (www.thethorn.net). The Thorn is a wonderful portrayal of the fall of man and the redemption of our sins through the death and resurrection of Christ. I have seen the show in years past, but something resonated with me this year as if I was seeing if for the very first time.

One of the scenes depicts the story told in John 8 where the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery before Christ. As the character portraying Jesus reached out to rescue the woman from the grip of those who were ready to stone her, something broke inside of me. I recognize that my sin sent Jesus to the cross just like the sin of an adulterer or a murderer or anyone else. And while that is a profound truth, it isn't what affected me so deeply.

What I saw in that woman was a picture of discouragement and guilt and hopelessness. And what I saw in Christ was an image of the One who came to rescue us and to bring hope and life and confidence. I so desperately needed to be reminded of that.

I have loved living in Colorado Springs, and I have absolutely no doubt that the Lord brought me here for this season of my life. But to be honest, I have fought against a spirit of discouragement since my arrival. It has come from every conceivable place, and I am ashamed to say that it has gotten the best of me over the past few months. I have been discouraged, and what better way for the enemy to cripple us than to discourage us?

Last night, I was thinking of how the followers of Christ must have felt in the days before the resurrection. Several words came to mind...hopeless, confused, anxious, desperate, afraid, angry, unsure...and discouraged. Then I realized, all of these things can only exist when our focus is on the grave...when we don't live in the power of the resurrection.

I am so thankful that Sunday came, and that with it came hope and fulfillment. I am thankful that the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is the same Spirit that lives inside of me. I serve an Overcomer, and I am grateful that I don't have to live in discouragement or defeat. Because of Sunday, I can live in the victory of knowing that "greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world." Because of Sunday, I am encouraged.

Camera Download

2009-04-06T17:03:00.000-07:00

It would be impossible to sum up the crazy adventures I have experienced over the past few weeks, so I'll let my camera do the talking...

These pictures are really from January, but I neglected to download them until now. A few people from my small group took an overnight retreat to a cabin called Praise Mountain just outside of Divide, Colorado....

A couple of weeks later, I celebrated Black Saturday (aka Valentine's Day) at Winter Park with a few friends from church. I wore a red hat in honor of this most festive occasion. Not really, I actually just noticed it while looking at this picture.

Then, my good friend Laurie came for a weekend visit. We spent one day in Vail and the rest of the weekend enjoying Colorado Springs. Laurie tore her meniscus on a mogul run, and being the compassionate friend that I am...I made her continue to ski. Perhaps this is why my red hat and I spent Black Saturday with my single friends.

*BONUS* - My good First Baptist friend, Todd, just happened to have a trip planned to Vail on the same day. So, he spent the day skiing with us too.

Just to make sure Laurie wasn't faking the injury, I made her hold up rocks while I took pictures at Garden of the Gods. She was such a trooper.

THEN, I went home for Spring Break and spent some time with three of my favorite guys (and my VERY favorite niece who isn't pictured here)...

I ended my Spring Break suffering in the mountains of Colorado. My small group spent the weekend at Young Life's Crooked Creek Ranch where we did a little skiing and relaxing.

This little guy was outside our door one morning, so we stared at him for a long time and took pictures...and then took a different route to breakfast.

The next weekend, my friends from Houston's First Baptist came in town for their ski trip. So, I joined them....

On the first run of the day, I attempted to demonstrate my skills by gracefully flailing down the mountain and jamming my boot (or pole...not sure which) into my inner thigh. While I tend to neglect the injuries of others, I enjoy a little attention for my own aches and pains. Since it is still cold here, these legs won't see the light of day for at least a few more weeks. So, I feel the need to post my injury on the internet for all the world to see.

Kari, Brian (the photographer), and I thought it would be a good idea to sit outside in a blizzard for an hour and a half beginning at 7:30am on a Saturday morning to wait in line for the REI Garage Sale. We're smiling in this picture, but it isn't because we were enjoying ourselves. It was COLD! Oh, and I came home with nothing. I'm bitter....and I'm not going to pretend that I'm not.

To top off my weeks of fun, a friend from college came in town yesterday. So, another college friend used her visit as an excuse to have a mini sorority reunion. There are seven of us here in the Denver/Colorado Spring area. We had such a blast reconnecting!

CSAP and Sears

2009-03-13T20:04:00.001-07:00

I finally have a spare minute to write a little something, but the things that have kept me busy lately are far from newsworthy. Today marked the end of CSAP testing (Colorado's version of the TAKS test). Simply recounting the memories makes me want to poke needles in my eyes. I literally walked around my classroom for hours as students found creative ways to bubble in answers and pass gas. To say it was thrilling simply wouldn't do it justice.

As if CSAP wasn't enough to keep me on my Rocky Mountain high, I had before and after school duty this week. Yesterday, I caught a 7th grader making a bold attempt to celebrate the end of CSAP testing with a bottle of Bud Light. I asked him for a sip and then escorted him to the front office. Kidding. We went 50/50.

To reward myself for surviving the week, I have a trip to Sears Automotive planned for tomorrow. I can hardly wait to wake up in the morning. I actually went to have my oil changed and tires rotated last week which is when they called to tell me that my brakes needed to be replaced or serviced or whatever....something about metal on metal. But, I had already taught Saturday School earlier that morning, and I try to make it a point to limit myself to only two or three indulgences per day.

With all of the magic in my life, one might wonder why I am anxiously awaiting Spring Break '09...which just so happens to be exactly one week away. I'll be packing up and heading to the great state of Texas for a few days and then spending some time on the slopes in Winter Park. Sadly, I'm not sure if there is a Sears Automotive in Winter Park, but I think it will be fun nonetheless.

Blind Skier

2009-03-08T18:19:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite pastimes in Colorado is skiing. Last weekend, the snow was so intense in the morning that I could hardly see more than a few feet ahead of me. At one point the powder completely covered my boots. Fortunately, the sky cleared that afternoon and gave us a beautiful and perfect ending to the day.

During a quick trip to the lodge before lunch, I saw a blind skier and her instructor preparing to hit the slopes. I am always in awe of anyone who perseveres beyond his or her disabilities, but there is something about a blind skier that completely humbles me. That day, my heart was captured by the determination of a young skier who was willing to put her absolute trust in another. It is a picture I still can't seem to get out of my mind.

The truth is, our relationship with Christ is much like that of a blind skier and her instructor. Only God knows what lies down the hill or around the bend. He sees the trees and the bumps and the obstacles that we might face . He knows when it is appropriate to go around them or over them or through them. He knows when to push us and when to slow us down, and He times His commands just perfectly...never giving us more instruction than we need. Our job is simply to listen and to trust His voice, and to rest in the fact that He is right beside us.

I'll be honest and tell you that the past few weeks have been challenging for me. I not only feel like a blind skier, I feel like a blind skier who is on skis for the first time in the middle of a snowstorm. I am straining to hear the voice of the Lord and praying that I am making the right turns at the right time. I am trusting that He will redirect me if I am off course, and I am resting in the fact that I have an instructor who loves me and knows my limitations. He is a good God, and I am believing Him to guide me through an adventure that is abundantly more than I could ever even begin to imagine.

Duty

2009-02-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

When I taught in Cy-Fair, I had the luxury of monitoring the stairwell during one five minute passing period each day. Never again in my lifetime will I complain about stairwell duty. Okay, never...unless I actually have to do it again. I say this because "duty" takes on an entirely new meaning when teaching in my current school district. Here, I have lunch duty once a week as well as morning and after school duty for one week each month.

Lunch duty involves one other teacher and myself monitoring our entire sixth grade population. This would be doable if we had weapons, but we don't. Instead, we have a microphone...in the event that we need to make an announcement or sing a Sunday morning solo. It's a very effective tool.

Yesterday, my lunch duty partner thought it might be a good idea to sing "Happy Birthday" to one of our sixth grade students. I'm not sure when this became part of the routine, but let's just say it was a short-lived tradition.

I was standing near the lunch line when, without warning, her plan echoed through the aforementioned microphone. Immediately, the world around me began to move in slow motion. I don't think the words ever left my mouth, but every ounce of my being began to lunge forward in a frantic and dramatic, "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Of course, my instincts were right because just as she burst forth in song, the kids burst forth in an aerial food raid.

Chaos ensued, and I was nearly pummeled by a nugget as I attempted to put a stop to the madness. The microphone was out of my reach leaving me completely unarmed, and I could do little more than head to the front lines in an effort to gain control of the situation. I still don't know why...no one can really explain sixth graders, but the fighting stopped almost as quickly as it began. Fortunately our school only serves food that holds fast to its form, so the damage to the cafeteria was minimal. I also managed to escape unscathed...which is really all that matters.

My morning and afternoon duty stations also tend to provide me with a great deal of entertainment...and frostbite. Because my administrators like to punish the foreigners (that would be me), I was assigned to parking lot /baseball field duty...sort of like an initiation. For fifteen minutes before school and fifteen minutes after school, I get to stand outside in temperatures as low as forty-seven below zero. In case you think I'm kidding, this is my duty station...

And yes, that is fresh snow on the ground. You can see the high volume of foot traffic and the obvious need for my presence. Indeed, I offer a valuable service to our school community. Actually, yesterday did present an opportunity for me to flex my baseball field monitor muscles. Just as I was wrapping up a phone conversation with my mom (I use my time on duty to make others aware of my miserable condition), a "fight" erupted. Apparently, yesterday was Rocky Theme Day at my school.

I watched as one of my former students shoved another kid from behind. It is hardly unusual to see two middle school boys assaulting one another, so I didn't think much of it at first. When the backpack came off though and a second punch was thrown, I knew it was the real deal. I ran down the hill and was already on the scene before I realized that I didn't have my microphone. Nevertheless, my presence alone was enough to end the scuffle, and another grueling day of duty came to an end.

Lest you think the fight was without cause, I learned as I escorted the young Caucasian offender back to the school...His punch was justified because the other skinny white boy had called him the "n" word. I'm still not sure what to do with that.

Costco

2009-02-07T20:44:00.001-08:00

I recently gave into peer pressure by abandoning my Sam's card and jumping head first into the Costco craze. I tend to by a loyalist and usually do my best to stick with an original, but this is a decision I do not regret. I have to give a shout out here to my good friend Tiffany H. for pushing me over the edge on my membership purchase. High five, Tiff. I am in food warehouse heaven.

Aside from a sizable selection of organic and healthy food options, Costco of Colorado Springs offers an impressive variety of delicious sample treats. Now, I know samples, but the display I witnessed last week was a thing of rare beauty. In all honesty, I am struggling to find reasons why I should ever buy food again. The way I see it, I just bought a fifty dollar meal ticket. The next time I visit, I'm coming armed with my own plate and an after-dinner mint.

I don't know about you, but I love me some samples. Of course, half of the fun is pretending as though I have randomly stumbled upon each delectable food station...as if I am so intent on my shopping that I unwittingly happened upon the bite-sized portions of pork ribs in barbecue sauce or natural turkey jerky. Truth be told, I typically run over three or four less aggressive customers in my race to the sample buffet. Of course, I slow my pace to a respectable trot somewhere between the outdoor fountains and patio furniture because I value discretion and see no reason to alert the sample staff of my arrival.

I also go to great lengths to consume my samples in the appropriate meal order...appetizers first, main course second, dessert last. This almost never happens though. Quite frankly, skipping a sample station in the hopes that supplies are unlimited is a risk that I'm just not willing to take.

Needless to say, my first official member trip to Costco far exceeded my expectations. My warehouse club loyalty has forever been changed, and I'm not looking back.

25 Random Things About Me

2009-02-05T08:19:00.000-08:00

This has been going around on Facebook for awhile, so I finally gave into the pressure and came up with 25 random things about myself...

1. I find that my mind now thinks in third person. I blame this on the Facebook "status" option. Example...Tiffany doesn't understand why there aren't more samples at Whole Foods today. She wasn't planning on buying dinner, and now it looks like she is going to have to find something to eat.

2. When I yawn, my left eye takes awhile to pop back to its original size and shape. I don't think I'm alone on this one.

3. I am completely disgusted by people who clip their nails in public. The nail salon does not count as public.

4. I won the school Spelling Bee in 5th grade. (By the way, my mom didn't have a car at the time and walked over 2 miles down Huffmeister pushing Tara in a stroller to see me win). I lost the district Spelling Bee on the word "adamant". I think of this EVERY TIME I use the word "adamant". Unfortunately, I'm adamant about many things.

5. I plan on blaming everything that goes wrong in the next 4 years on Barack Obama. I think I've earned this after taking the heat for the past 8 years. By the way, Tiffany is pretty sure it was Barack Obama's fault that there weren't more samples at Whole Foods today.

6. The two criteria I have for my wardrobe are comfort and warmth. This goes for shoes as well.

7. "Little House on the Prairie" is my favorite show, and I'm not afraid to say it.

8. I cheer out loud and clap my hands for the contestants on "The Biggest Loser" even when I am watching it alone. I like to see people work hard to achieve their goals. I also cheer out loud and cry a little when a family on "Extreme Home Makeover" gets their new house.

9. I LOVE that I'm a Texan!

10. I LOVE that I live in Colorado!

11. There is a small part of me that would like to be Amish. However, I do not enjoy Shoe-fly pie...or bonnets.

12. I'm fascinated by history, especially American history.

13. One of my favorite childhood memories is when my parents surprised us by picking us up from school early to take my sisters and me to see "Mr. Mom" at Town and Country mall. Disclaimer...As a teacher, I get really mad when parents take their kids out of school to go to the movies.

14. One thing I look forward to as a mom is packing my kids' lunchboxes and writing notes on their napkins.

15. "Hee Haw" was on TV last week, and I watched it.

16. The first time I wore a training bra to school, I hated it so much that I went to the bathroom during recess and stuck it in my pocket.

17. I despise the word "belly" unless it is preceded by the word "jelly" or followed by "of a whale". I have also recently decided that I don't like the word "shawl". Fortunately, shawls are not often a topic of conversation in the 21st Century....unless you're Amish.

18. I love chocolate! I think the only fruits that should ever mix with chocolate are fresh strawberries or bananas.

19. It doesn't matter how many miles I run, I will always have "Excuse me, pardon me" thighs. I blame this on Barack Obama.

20. I never get tired of the mountains. I am still as in awe of them today as I was the first time I visited Colorado. The sunset behind Pike's Peak is one of my favorite things.

21. I won a calf scramble (of sorts) at a local rodeo when I was in elementary school. The grand prize was five dollars.

22. I was sent to the principal's office one time during my school career. I was in the third grade, and I hit Michael Froelich because he wouldn't stop eating paper. My principal was Mr. Charles Goodson. The last five years I was in Houston, I taught at Charles Goodson Middle School. Apparently, he didn't think Michael should have been eating paper either.

23. I read the labels on just about anything I buy.

24. I think the Northwest Memorial Baptist Church congregation of the 80's is the most incredible group of people ever to be assembled.

25. I am blessed with an incredible family and wonderful friends. I am loved by an amazing God who humbles me with His unfailing mercy and grace. I live in a beautiful state and worship at one of the greatest churches on the planet. I have a job that allows me to touch the lives of people every day...and I get my summers OFF! I might not be where I want to be at this stage of my life, but I am still VERY blessed.

Editor's Response

2009-01-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

I feel it is necessary for me to respond to Jeremy's comment on my most recent blog entry...in part because it was a piece of tabloid genius and also because it was almost entirely true. Let's take it a piece at a time...

"Crazy New Life Church Member" - Now, I could go for Crazy (COMMA) New Life Church Member. After all, I do choose to spend my days with middle school students. And, I did willingly leave the great Republic to live amongst a society of people who do not appreciate the importance of good queso or Whataburger ketchup. For these reasons, I could agree with "crazy". However, I do not think I qualify as a Crazy New Life Church Member until I arrive at church bearing streamers and a tambourine. And a bun.

"Abandons bi-racial family started in rural Africa" - It's no big secret that Jeremy and I share an African child. Her name is Delvin, and she is an absolute doll. She gets the great smile from me, and if her hair was longer you would see that she gets it from Jeremy's side of the family. I won't go into the details of her adoption, but let's just say that World Hope thought it best that we send money instead of attempting to bring her into the dysfunction of American life. It could also have something to do with the fact that I am "crazy", and Jeremy has an obsession with chihuahua's that wear toupee's...but I'm going with the dysfunctional American story. That's just easier.

Delvin

"To pursue the perfect pedicure" - I'll give you this one...except that my pursuit began long before I arrived in Africa.

"Leaves only soccer ball to neglected daughter" - This was hardly any soccer ball. It was an evange-soccer ball that brilliantly illustrated the Gospel message. One glance at my WWJD bracelet confirms to me that I hit it out of the park on this one. I really don't think further justification is necessary.

The Evange-Ball in action

Jeremy playing with the giraffes. Delvin was most likely at home playing with her soccer ball.

Big hug, Jeremy!

Horse's, Snuggies, and New Life Church

2009-01-25T15:17:00.000-08:00

An early morning snowfall prevented me from following through with my outdoor running plans, so I defaulted to Plan B and went for a quick jog on the treadmill at my local gym. I usually listen to my iPod while I run, but I plugged into the local news instead so I could get an update on the weather. I'm learning that watching the weather around here is about as accurate as referencing a magic eight ball. As it turns out, the magic eight ball was wrong again.

Anyhow, I stayed tuned to the news after the informative weather report because the upcoming story happened to be about my church...again. The media has been such a frequent guest of our church in the past two years that I'm considering hiring an agent. It only makes sense.

As it turns out, our former pastor has again made a name for himself in the national news. We learned a few weeks ago that the prestigious and highly acclaimed HBO is set to air an interview with him at the end of this month. Then, a "new" set of allegations were brought to light this week when our local ABC station announced its plans to air an interview with a member of our congregation who apparently had an inappropriate relationship with our former pastor.

For those of you who don't know, Ted Haggard, the founding pastor of my church was fired a couple of years ago as a result of a scandal that was broadcast all over national news. By the time I arrived in Colorado, Ted was already gone. He was never my pastor. The church has spent two years trying to pick up the pieces in addition to coping with the tragic event of December 9, 2007. But, the media loves a story...and it seems that a healing, thriving, tenacious, God-centered church doesn't boost ratings. Even worse, Colorado Springs news anchors have little else to talk about. Case in point...the New Life story was followed by a piece on a retiring police horse and a brilliant segment about Snuggies, the blanket you can wear. Now, there's news you can use!

I'm not sure what the media hopes to accomplish with this latest headline. Truth be told, most people in our congregation moved on a long time ago. We are not surprised by the latest allegations, and we won't be surprised if more stories surface in the future. Like every one of us, Ted is a sinner and he obviously had more than his fair share of secrets. The church has gone to great lengths to offer him (and those who were affected by his poor choices) counseling, assistance, financial support, and forgiveness. So, let us move on already. Otherwise, we need to make plans to negotiate my contract.

One Can Never Learn Eghnofe

2009-01-21T17:22:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, I have a nineteen year old brother who is severely handicapped and in need of 24-hour care. My parents have a wonderful caregiver (Debbie) who helps them as much as possible, but my mom has been searching for an additional person to provide assistance when Debbie is unavailable. Of course, this is no easy task. Today, she consulted Craig's List to see if there might be any listings for someone seeking this type of employment. She came across the following gem and was kind enough to share it with me. This is COPIED AND PASTED from Craig's List for your enjoyment...

Hi my name is _______ .I have experience in taking care of a elderly person ,I took care of my friend he had bone cancer a very painful cancer. He could not help him self he wood not even know when he dirty him self I cleaned him up gave him bath and some days were harder for him so we did sponge baths . Washed what needed to be washed cooked his food and kept him company .Im not a nurse ,so I can not provide you with medical skills, there are some classes I will be take, So I will be more help full .Im a women with experience ,im intelligent patient, caring, loving person . I can prepare all most any meal ,also I m very clean I love my house clean and so I will kip yours .Im a good companion I love learning one can never learn eghnofe (You've got that right, Sister!), I like playing games cards, chest..... I love taking walks I just love the out doors ,and I love Animals if you have any I be glad to feed them .If you hire me you will be satisfeigth and your loved one will be happy with me .You will have a peas off mind . My 400-500 for 5 days. Please give me a chance . My email is

My admiration for the service this precious lady provides is the only reason I will neglect to comment on this passage. That, and the fact that there are so many thoughts swimming around in my head right now...I wouldn't even know where to begin.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2009-01-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Dad!

I wish you the very best on your special day. Thank you for the many truths you have poured into my life. I can't remember a time when you didn't lead by example. You taught us the value of working hard and finishing well. You showed us how to persevere in the face of opposition and how to trust God in spite of our circumstances. You are a good steward of all things, including your time. You have taught us how to approach challenges and disappointment with relentless determination, and you showed us how to move forward regardless of the opposition. Above all, you have been consistent. It seems that regardless of the situation, you tenaciously and passionately pursue Christ. I am blessed to have a father like you.

I love you!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T00:13:00.000-08:00

As is evident by my lack of blog posts during the past couple of weeks, I enjoyed a wonderful but busy vacation in Houston. I had a great Christmas with my family, and I even managed to see a few of my friends while I was home. In the spirit of Texas, I also made it a priority to eat and shop as much as humanly possible.

I haven't forgotten my roots.

I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to 2009. I'll be honest and tell you that the 2008 dating scene left much to be desired. I even went against my better judgment and joined Match.com late last summer. My experience left me wondering if perhaps I should make preparations to purchase a muumuu and a cat. And a carton of Marlboro's. I fear they are in my future. However, I did enjoy the complicated, formulaic way in which "Match" chose the potential love of my life. After weeks of careful scrutiny, I decided that "smoking preference" was the determining factor in who would appear on my list of possible mates. Apparently, BigTaz...

and this gentleman who seems to have misplaced his bagpipes...

are both non-smokers.

So, it is with open arms that I welcome 2009 and the many opportunities that are yet to be discovered. I trust that the coming year is full of blessings and wonderful surprises!

Happy New Year!

Airplane Etiquette

2008-12-20T14:43:00.000-08:00

I landed safely in Houston sometime around 11pm last night. Except for my mad dash to Denver International Airport during rush hour traffic, my trip was relatively uneventful. That is, unless you would have spent an hour or two in my head. Apparently, I have an unspoken set of rules for the person or persons sitting next to me on an airplane....and the guy seated next to me last night was completely unaware that these existed.

Listed among my set of ideal flying conditions is the rule that no one has permission to share my seat, and lifting the arm rest to acquire a little extra wiggle room is completely out of the question. If there is no room for your wiggle, then it might just be time to put down the complementary peanuts and hit the gym.

I am also a firm believer that any child under the age of 14 should travel with a healthy dose of Benadryl. Or a muzzle. Of course, this rule will more than likely change if I ever have children of my own. Until then, I prefer to pass judgement on others and pretend that my offspring will be perfect.

A new rule that I acquired just last night is that anyone with unusual eating habits should not sit next to me. I'll be honest here and tell you that one of my weaknesses is the inability to ignore bizarre restaurant behavior. Apparently, this carries over to airplanes. I had severe eyeball strain by the time we landed in Houston because of my efforts to discretely gawk at my neighbor's savage attack on a tuna sandwich and Fritos. I still haven't fully recovered.

Speaking of landing in Houston, I would like to point out that I'm pretty sure my face melted off about thirty miles north of town as a result of the humidity. I'm still not sure why I continue to pack moisturizer when I come home.

Truth be told, I am thrilled to be here. There is nowhere else in the world I would rather be than home for the holidays!

Believe Me

2008-12-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

One year ago this past Tuesday, I was riding to church with my friend Kari. It had snowed the night before, but none of the roads in our area were plowed yet. Because it was early on a Sunday morning, very few people were out. Most of the snow was undisturbed from the night before, and I remember thinking that EVERYTHING was white. It was so beautiful and incredibly peaceful.

I'm pretty much a regular at the 11am service, but we went to the early service that morning. After church, my small group met for lunch. Then, I headed home. Seconds after I walked through the door, my phone began ringing...and ringing...and ringing. I think I might have ignored the first couple of calls because I was desperate for a nap. But the third or fourth call led me to think that something might be wrong. And it was.

While my small group was enjoying a leisurely lunch, an angry gunman had walked onto the campus of our church. By the time it was all said and done, Matthew Murray had taken the lives of two young girls and injured several others. Miraculously, he was taken down by one of our security guards before he ended his own life and before he could do further damage.

I'll never forget turning on my television and watching policeman with their guns drawn, ducking behind cars in the snow covered parking lot where I stood a short time earlier. And, I remember watching SWAT officers moving stealthily around the church I was sitting in...worshiping in just moments before. It was surreal. And dark...a stark contrast from the blanket of white that had greeted us that morning.

The weeks that followed were life changing for me for a number of reasons. At the time of the shooting, I had been without a job for a couple of months. It was a desperate and frustrating season. My faith felt weak, and I was struggling to believe that God was in control. Obviously, my situation paled in comparison to the grief endured by the families who had lost loved ones, but the Lord graciously used the Works family who lost two daughters on that tragic afternoon to teach me a valuable lesson.

It was a Sunday prayer and praise night about a month after the shooting. I happened to be sitting across the aisle from David and Marie Works and their youngest daughter. I remember watching them as they worshiped unashamedly and thinking to myself that God was so absolutely in control of their situation....that He was going to be glorified through this tragedy. I was confident of it. I was also sure that God had to be preparing our church for something very special. Not only had we endured the tragic events of December 9, New Life Church had also lost its founding pastor in a scandal that was broadcast on every national media outlet just 13 months before. It had been a difficult year. Yet, there was great hope and anticipation.

In that moment during worship, I believe the Lord spoke to my heart. I was convicted as He pointed out that I was willing to believe Him corporately, but that I was unwilling to trust Him personally. In other words, it was easy to believe that He was in control of the events facing my church family and the Works family, but I was struggling to see that He also had great purpose in the circumstances that were pressing down on me. It was another lesson in trust, and it brought me back to the verse God used when He first moved me to Colorado Springs.

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and BELIEVE ME and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. Isaiah 43:10

"BELIEVE ME"...for a job, a purpose, finances, for a ministry, healing, a spouse, a hope, a future, for those times when you need to be rescued, encouraged, protected, loved. "BELIEVE ME" when the unthinkable happens, when life doesn't make sense, when you can't see a way out, when there seems to be no end in sight. "BELIEVE ME" to be in control of EVERY situation you encounter EVERY SINGLE MOMENT OF EVERY SINGLE DAY.

God is FAITHFUL, and He WILL cause ALL things to work together for good. He is worthy to be trusted...even in the face of tragedy.

Rescue 911

2008-12-06T22:26:00.000-08:00

**UPDATE**
For those who have inquired, my firemen might have been single. I'm not really sure. They were nice looking in a lovable uncle sort of way. I'm pretty confident that "posing for the 2009 Hot Firemen Calendar" wasn't on their list of to-do items that morning.

At 7:22 this morning, I was ripped from the clutches of a deep and peaceful sleep by the violent ovation of my fire alarm. Actually, all THREE of my fire alarms. My first thought was, "My neighbor's alarm clock is really loud today." My second thought was, "Did I drink a small ocean of water before I went to bed last night because I REALLY need to go to the bathroom?"

When I finally realized what was happening, my bladder and I frantically began searching my condo for any sign of a fire. After assessing the situation and confirming that I was in no sort of imminent danger, I made a quick dash to the little girl's room to take care of business...while still being serenaded by the reality that something was very wrong. Looking back, it saddens me to think of where I chose to spend what could have been my last few moments of life. I mean, really.

Even so...with all necessary agenda items completed, I quickly grabbed my cell phone and called 911. For all I knew, the condo above me was on fire and mine was next.

I ran upstairs to awaken my neighbor and to check the perimeter of the building all the while sporting the most hideous ensemble of clothing known to man. Because I'm a layers girl, I had thrown a William and Mary sweatshirt and chocolate brown winter coat over a treasured turquoise blue CFISD t-shirt that I received sometime before 1998. Of course, no outfit would have been complete without my grey Polk Panthers sweatpants, white athletic socks, and khaki Crocks. Oh...and my purse.

I continued the play by play with my 911 operator as I searched for any sign of a fire. I found nothing. After trying unsuccessfully to awaken my upstairs neighbor, I headed back into my condo only to find that the alarms had stopped...just as my doorbell rang.

I opened the door to find two of Colorado Springs Fire Department's finest...one carrying some sort of ax. I considered suggesting that he use it to destroy the three fire alarms that had wrestled me from a peaceful night of sleep but gave in to my better judgment.

I explained to them the situation, at which point they tried to convince me that I probably just needed to change the batteries in my alarms. To their credit, at that moment I DID look just stupid enough to have not considered that possibility.

Certain that he had correctly assessed the situation, the fireman with the ax climbed onto one of my chairs to change the battery in smoke detector number one. As he disconnected my fire alarm, he discovered a sizable amount of water standing in the cover....which he proceeded to dump onto my carpet. Apparently, a water leak had caused the system to short out, setting off all three alarms in a harmonious chorus.

Clearly, I was no longer the girl who didn't change the batteries in her smoke detectors, I was the concerned victim of a flood. Feeling somewhat validated, I squinted my eyes and nodded intently as the firemen began to debate the source of my leak. The conversation did not last long, however, and I was soon left alone in my leak ridden home considering whether or not I should contact FEMA. I didn't.

Sticks and Stones

2008-12-05T10:57:00.000-08:00

In case I haven't mentioned it one or forty times, 6th graders tend to push me to the brink of a nervous breakdown most days. I mean everyday. I recently had this conversation:

6th Grade Girl: He called me the "B" word.
Me (to 6th Grade Boy): Did you call her the "B" word?
6th Grade Boy: No, I called her a Big Nose because she called me a Ping Pong Head.

Being the professional that I am, I immediately began scrolling through my mental library of appropriate and effective responses to ABSURD accusations and conversations. Unfortunately, I could only come up with "Go sit down, and please...just STOP TALKING."

Three's

2008-11-19T10:56:00.001-08:00

Okay, I admit it. I have been known to be a tiny bit stubborn from time to time.

My parents LOVE to tell this story...

When I was probably three or four and learning to write my numbers and letters, I consistently wrote the number three backwards. My mom and dad tried tirelessly to convince me to change the direction of my three's but to no avail. We had many conversations that went something like this:

Mom/Dad: That's very nice, but your three is backwards
Tiffany: No it isn't. That's how I make my three's.
Mom/Dad: But, a three is supposed to face the other way.
Tiffany: Okay, but this is how I make MY three's.

End of conversation.

As one might imagine, my childhood (teen years, college years, post-college years...) proved to be quite a challenge because of my unwillingness to back down...from anyone or anything.

I would like to point out here that my strong will has, in fact, saved me from a few fashion disasters over the years...such as the skinny jean. I meant it when I said that I will NEVER wear skinny jeans. Quite frankly, I believe they are a fashion mistake for just about anyone. On the flip side, my strong will probably left me with extraordinarily large bangs a season or two past their prime...as I was convinced that they provided a "classic" look.

But I digress...

Fortunately, the Lord placed people in my life along the way who began to teach me to turn my strong will into a determination to follow Christ. My stubbornness was not a curse but a gift that was being misused. While I know this to be true, there are still moments where I find myself refusing to change the direction of my three's.

Case in point...

I am a teacher. And, most seasoned teachers know that when given a suggestion or task by an administrator, it is okay to smile and nod in agreement...and then do whatever you want to do. This has worked well for me over the years...until now. I now teach in a special program in our district where many eyes are watching my every move. I can no longer blend into the crowd and do my own thing. I must give up control and CONFORM even when I think MY way is better. This has been more difficult than I care to admit. It seems that lurking around every corner is another test of my willingness to surrender and to CHANGE.

Come to think of it, life in Colorado has been one giant confrontation with life not done MY way...the way people drive, communicate, educate, decorate, eat, think, dress, worship, spend money, prioritize, and on and on. While entirely frustrating at times, living here has been an opportunity for the Lord to stretch me in areas of my life where I have held on too tightly.

And He has.

SO MANY TIMES, I have wanted to pack my bags and move back to Houston...because that would be easier. And SO MANY TIMES, the Lord has convinced me that He wants me to trust HIS plan and to stay. Change is NEVER easy, especially for Yours Truly who likes CONTROL. But, I have found that a willingness to surrender only leads to greater peace, increased contentment, and a deeper trust in Jesus Christ.

And a correctly constructed number THREE.

Disclaimer...
By no means does this imply that I intend to end the discussion of my bizarre life in Colorado. I am willing to make changes, People, but I will not surrender my quest for an acceptable pedicure, a restaurant that stays open past 9, or a well manicured lawn. Or an appropriately sized pumpkin for that matter. Change is one thing, but complete disregard for sensible living practices simply crosses the line.

10-0!!

2008-11-10T16:56:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a GREAT weekend in Lubbock where I got to cheer on my Red Raiders as they went 10-0 Saturday night! WRECK 'EM TECH!!! The town is CRAZY, and it was SO MUCH FUN to be a part of the excitement.

Because I recently had to purchase airline tickets for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, I decided a few weeks ago that DRIVING to Lubbock (after school on a Friday) seemed like an okay idea. Fortunately, I enjoy a little peace and quiet after school, so I managed to suffer through the 7 1/2 hour ordeal. My excitement about the game even led me to find a way to entertain myself for the trip's entirety. This included convincing those on the highway with me that I am an untapped musical talent who needed to practice a few numbers for my debut as Belle in Broadway's "Beauty and the Beast". I don't want to brag, but my performance was magical.

Probably the most invigorating part of the night was being pulled over for speeding. Fortunately, I was in West Texas and was pulled over by a county sheriff...who was apparently a Tech fan. I'm not sure why, but my voice went completely country as soon as I began to explain that I am not an out-of-stater...and that Texas is my home. Apparently, my talent extends beyond Broadway. Anyhow, when I shared with him that I was heading to the Tech game, he told me he would run my license and give me a warning so I could be on my way. I LOVE TEXAS!

I then made one quick pit stop at the Toot 'n Totum in Amarillo for gas and a Laffy Taffy before arriving into Lubbock just after midnight. It was quite a night...and quite a weekend!

Here are a few pics...

Tessa, Taleigh, me, and Morgan (one of my former students who was checking out the campus)

The SISTERS in front of the Tech seal. GUNS UP!!

Two good reasons NOT to go to OSU. Yes, her eyebrows are orange....because we might not have thought it was natural otherwise!

GAME TIME!!!

10-0!!!

And because it has been so long since my last post, here are a few of the "goings on" of Tiffany over the past couple of weeks...

One of our sweet friends from small group hosted a breakfast at her house before church. The view from the house was incredible...you could see the entire city. This is my friend Kari and me (and Kari's cousin's daughter).

Our Fall Festival was the night before the UT-Tech game. Someone (with really bad taste) chose burnt orange shirts for the volunteers. You REALLY can fix ANYTHING with duct tape, can't you?

Kari, Christy, Becky, and I all have birthdays in September and October, so we decided to celebrate with brunch at the Broadmoor. This was the morning after Tech beat UT, so....YES, I wore my Tech shirt to the Broadmoor!

In front of the lake at the Broadmoor

My BFF Sarah Palin came to see me the night before the election.

Unfortunately, the spotlight behind the stage ruined my pictures, but if you look really carefully...you can see Todd and Sarah...LOVE THEM!

Not EVERYTHING is Bigger in Texas!

2008-10-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

This was the view from my front porch Wednesday morning...the first snow of the season!

And, lest you think it is always a winter wonderland here in Colorado Springs....

I took a different route home from school today and stumbled upon a rather unpleasant scene. Is THIS what happens to pumpkins in high altitude? Does anyone else feel the need to put some pants on these babies, or is that just me?

I'm not sure what is more disturbing...the morbidly obese pumpkins or the shrub garden disguised as landscaping.

Random

2008-10-19T15:35:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to downloading the pictures from my camera.

First, my awesome small group surprised me with flowers, a tiara (much like the ones I wore in my pageant days), and some yummy goodies for my birthday.

Brian gave me a spaghetti squash from his garden. Sadly, I was as excited about the squash as I was about the flowers. I'm old. Next year...party at Luby's!

I went to see Beth in Basalt last weekend. The fall colors were so BEAUTIFUL! These pictures were taken a few houses down from where Beth lives. I started my morning jogs here. The weather was perfect...crisp and cool! The second half of the trail took me along one of the best fly fishing rivers in the U.S. I forgot to go back and take pictures though. Just check out any magazine with pictures of a trail along a river shaded by a canopy of trees in fall colors, and that's pretty much what it looked like.

Snowmass...between Basalt and Aspen. I plan to be here this winter!

We had breakfast in Aspen and then took a stroll around town. I like to walk into the shops in Aspen and pretend to be very rich. We first visited Pitkin Country Dry Goods...a favorite of mine...and of my good friend, Jennifer Aniston. The first sweater I picked up was $700. Since one of the employees was watching me, I simply nodded at the price as if to let her know that I thought it was a good deal....and then proceeded to size it up by stretching the sweater against my chest and looking down over the top of the hanger at my new look . It wasn't quite what I was going for, so I put it back and continued my pretend shopping spree. After a few minutes, I left Pitkin County Dry Goods...and communicated to the employees through my convincing facial expressions that I would be spending my large fortune elsewhere.

We made a quick stop at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory where I enjoyed a chocolate covered pretzel. Adelaide chose an M&M covered marshmallow kabob. I don't think she ever ate the marshmallows. They simply served as a glue that held the M&M's to the stick. Beth would want me to tell you that Adelaide (almost 3) insisted on wearing Grace's (9) vest.

This past Friday night, a few of us celebrated the birthday of our friend Abraham at the Blue Star. I'm not sure why, but the conversation eventually centered around Angelina Jolie.

Quotes

2008-10-10T18:05:00.000-07:00

**Update**
Two gems from today:

Apparently, one of the most famous stock exchanges in America is the "Wal-Mart Stock Exchange". You can really buy ANYTHING there, can't you?

AND...
I also learned today that "most Americans claim to have roots from Jermaine." (Germany). As in Jackson?? So, does that make Michael my uncle?

I have just a few minutes before I need to start packing. I'm heading to Aspen, my home away from home, this weekend. I know, I lead a rough life! Anyhow, I wanted to take a minute to share a couple of my favorite student quotes from the week. Enjoy...

"Immigrants should have the same rights as us. They are human beans too."
I am considering hooking this girl up with the creators of Veggie Tales. I really think she might be onto something.

"I will stop enter roping class so much."
This is the year-long goal of one of our 6th graders. Perhaps we should add SPELLING to the plan as well!

Chocolate Cake

2008-10-03T23:51:00.000-07:00

Every few weeks, I have the unique privilege of teaching writing skills to a handful of students during Saturday School. We try to make it as painless as possible because, let's face it...NO ONE (myself included) enjoys spending a Saturday morning reviewing the finer points of grammar, writing, and revision. During my most recent Saturday School session, I gave students the task of writing about their three favorite desserts. We then reviewed the entire writing process. When the kids were finished, we put a few of their essays on the SmartBoard (without their names, of course) and practiced editing together. For those of you who are unfamiliar with a SmartBoard, it is essentially an overpriced interactive white board that we educators use in an attempt to appear as if we are on the cutting edge of technology.

Anyhow, I came across the following sentences nestled strategically in the middle of a paragraph we were editing. I considered sharing the entire essay with you but fought the urge for fear that you might lose any remaining confidence in our education system.

Saturday Student Extraordinaire (an 8th grader) writes:
"And don't even get me started on chocolate cake. I love me some chocolate cake."

I'm assuming "And" is the transition word here.

Seeing as how these were two of her more successful attempts at appropriate sentence structure, I focused on the positive and praised her for her passion. After all, I love me some chocolate cake too!

Blessed

2008-09-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

Today, I turned 35. If you would have asked me twenty years ago where I thought I would be at 35, this is not the answer I would have given you. Don't get me wrong...I have come to appreciate this season of my life, and I love all that Colorado has to offer. But, I would be lying if I told you that the single life is where I want to be right now.

For my birthday, the Lord gave me a sermon that was a sweet reminder of how He has worked in my life over the past several years....and how He continues to work. Pastor Brady (LOVE HIM!) talked today about faith and perseverance in prayer. He reminded us that persistent prayer over a period of time provides us the opportunity not so much to get the things for which we ask but instead to KNOW the One from whom we ask. In other words, our prayer life is merely a journey that allows us to press in and know the character of God so that we will ultimately become more like Him.

With that said, I would like to take a few moments to focus on some of the lessons God has taught me through my singleness. The beauty of this season of life is that the Lord has provided me with TIME to focus on Him. Obviously, I cannot begin to summarize my entire journey in one blog entry, but I can't let this day pass without voicing my enormous gratitude for God's unfailing love and faithful pursuit of my heart. If He never answers another prayer, He has already done enough.

Lessons I'm learning while I wait...
1. God passionately pursues me.
2. He loves me unconditionally and with an EVERLASTING love. (Jeremiah 31:3)
3. He is my rescuer. (Psalm 91:14)
4. He is my provider...He provides TODAY what I need for TODAY, and He'll provide TOMORROW what I need for TOMORROW.
5. God carries the "former things" so that I don't have to...He will make a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:18-19)
6. God is always in control.
7. The God of this universe wants to spend time with ME.
8. He is patient...even when I don't deserve it.
9. His glory is what is most important.
10. Contentment can only be found in Him.
11. I must depend on Him alone.
12. Delighting myself in God only leads me to desire Him more.
13. God is good ALL the time.
14. He is faithful.
15. My faith must rest on His identity, not on His activity. (Beth Moore)
16. The goal of life is not the absence of pain, it is the presence of God and the glory of God.
17. "Abandonment means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions." Oswald Chambers.
18. God's mercies are new EVERY DAY!
19. "God is not concerned about my spiritual life. He is concerned about my life." Jay Strack
20. He will do immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)
21. God can change stubbornness and a strong will into a determination to follow Him.
22. I am only a branch. I can do nothing apart from Him. (John 15:5)
23. As I search for a husband, I must make sure I am in a place where I want to be found.
24. I must trust HIS timing...not my own. I must wait for Him. (Psalm 27:14)
25. He is my hiding place.
26. My eyes must be fixed on Him alone (Hebrews 12:1-3)
27. He will complete the work He started. (Philippians 1:6)
28. How I live my life is a testimony of what I believe about God. (Experiencing God)
29. He will frequently bring me to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. (Experiencing God)
30. He has chosen me as His witness so that I may KNOW and BELIEVE Him. (Isaiah 43:10)
31. He desires mercy more than sacrifice.
32. He is my confidence.
33. He is my Banner
34. COMPLETELY surrendering to Him brings COMPLETE freedom.
35. I am INCREDIBLY blessed!

Can I Get a Witness?

2008-09-27T08:40:00.001-07:00

My mom and dad have been here for the past week. They rented a cabin in the mountains about ten minutes from Woodland Park where I used to work. Thursday evening, my mom and I headed into town to grab take-out for dinner. It was about 6pm when we arrived only to find that every restaurant in town was closed...every restaurant except for The Swiss Chalet. Apparently, there is a large Swiss population residing in this tiny mountain town, and they are the only ones who like to eat dinner....AT 6PM...ON THURSDAYS!

Since I can't recall a time in my life when I had a hankering for Swiss cuisine, my mom and I chose to go with a usually reliable Subway sandwich. I steered my Toyota into the Subway parking lot and was immediately mesmerized by a picture of the new Chicken Pizzola...chicken breast and pepperoni with cheese, marinara sauce, and all the fixing's. My attention was quickly diverted when I noticed that all of the other restaurant seekers (the non-Swiss) had also made their way to Subway.

Refusing to be defeated, my mom and I took our place in line. There were two women working the counter. If I had to guess, their names were Madge and Celeste...but I really have no idea. Madge was an older woman, and Celeste could have been anywhere between the ages of 18 and 37. It was hard to tell. Neither was in a hurry to complete a sandwich order, but at least they were pleasant.

We eventually made our way to the front of the line, and Madge took my order. After destroying my Italian Herbs and Cheese loaf, she made a feeble attempt to scoop marinara sauce out of the meatball pan. Madge eventually produced enough marinara for a rotini noodle or two, but she seemed satisfied with her efforts and passed my sandwich to Celeste who did a fine job of binding up the wounded display with an assortment of vegetables.

I won't go into all the details of the check-out process, but let's just say that Celeste's brilliance was short-lived.

We then decided to quickly drive through Burger King to pick up chicken nuggets for TJ. I placed my order and drove to the window where I proceeded to pay. Unfortunately, Crazy Cashier Lady wasn't so great on the exchange, and one of my dollar bills flew through the air and landed under my back tire. She immediately began to instruct me as to how I could manipulate my body and squeeze out of my door which was wedged against the building to reach the dollar bill....the dollar that she had dropped. My mom, seeing the confusion and bewilderment on my face, began to laugh hysterically in the passenger seat. This was of no help to me.

To add insult to injury (I'm still sore from the rescue attempt), it took FOREVER to cook the nuggets...the FOUR nuggets. Every once in awhile, an employee would come to the window, look at us as if to wonder whether we recognized them from their profiles on America's Most Wanted, and then apologize for the delay. I assured one young man that he could make up for the wait by providing us with a free chocolate shake. He obliged. Two minutes later, he emerged with a chocolate shake that had the consistency of a glass of water. This wasn't a huge problem. The shake, after all, was free. But, the fact that my "frozen" treat was sloshing over the side didn't seem to be enough to convince Wonder Boy that something was terribly wrong. This sent my mom into the silent laugh.

Nearly an hour after we left the cabin, my mom and I headed back home...armed with two cold subs, four piping hot nuggets, and a large chocolate milk.

The entire evening was a series of bizarre encounters and inexplicable circumstances. But, I FINALLY had a witness....someone to testify to the unsettling nuances that seem to prevail in the state of Colorado...someone to assure me that the oddities I've tried so desperately to communicate really do exist....that the glazed stare of confusion I experience so often is, in fact, justified. I must say, I am quite relieved.

Texas Proud

2008-09-26T19:51:00.001-07:00

Okay, the storm (at least the wind and the rain) is over...and I AM TEXAS PROUD!! Of course, Geraldo did us all a favor by providing enough bloopers to keep the media busy. Thank you, Geraldo...and Weather Channel guy...GOOD STUFF!

Seriously, I am so impressed with my fellow Texans. You picked yourselves up by the bootstraps and gave the rest of the nation a good lesson on cooperation and hard work! High fives, everyone! JOB WELL DONE! You are constantly in my thoughts and prayers, and I look forward to seeing how the Lord will continue to use this for His glory. I wish I could be there with you.

Ike

2008-09-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

Like many others, I am glued to my television as Fox News gives round the clock coverage of Hurricane Ike's trek through southeast Texas. I hate to admit it, but I'm a little bit jealous that I am not in Houston to enjoy the festivities. Oh, we Houstonians like to put on our concerned faces and pretend to wish away a storm. But, admit it...there is a tiny longing inside every one of us that loves the hype and secretly attempts to lure a good hurricane our direction. That is, until it actually hits and leaves us to sit in the damp, steamy darkness with nothing to do but stare at each other and consume ungodly amounts of Little Debbie snack cakes and Fritos with bean dip.

Personally, I am waiting for the "day after" media coverage. Tomorrow is when southeast Texans will do us proud. Tomorrow is when we'll point the spotlight on our most prized citizens...the lady in a muumuu who clings to her chihuahua while floating down a neighborhood street on the door of a port-o-potty, the man with three teeth sitting on the front porch next to his shotgun and donning a Clutch City t-shirt, Budweiser cap, and Wranglers cut off at the knees. We will likely witness a live interview with an unfortunate victim who sports the thickest accent and an impressive fourth grade education. He or she will reminisce about the storms of old and relive the glory days of Hurricanes Carla and Alicia. Ah, yes...tomorrow will be the day that we shine. Tomorrow, the world will know why we are Texas proud.

The Sampler

2008-09-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

It might be because I teach middle school. I'm really not sure of the reason, but I am a hopeless germaphobe. I wash my hands before every meal. I don't touch doorknobs unless absolutely necessary, and I try to steer clear of 6th grade boys after PE...okay, even before PE.

I tell you this in order to shed light on the gravity of my misfortune today. I was at Whole Foods, one of my favorite places on earth. I circled the store, taking in samples of cereal, chips, fruit, and salmon burgers before landing at the chicken kabob table. There, I found an assortment of chicken kabobs basted and seasoned in any number of herbs and spices. If I remember correctly, there were four choices. I politely reached for a toothpick and began to sample each of the delectable varieties. I closed my eyes and looked toward heaven as I savored each and every delicious bite. I then engaged in a conversation with the young lady manning the booth and even pretended I was interested in purchasing (yea, right) one of the selections. I smiled and nodded and discretely scanned the perimeter of the table in search of a place to discard my toothpick while she explained each of the options. Only then did I notice the fresh pile of toothpicks stacked neatly in a basket...but not the basket from which I had chosen my toothpick. No, my basket was a bit messier. That's right, apparently I chose my toothpick from the TRASH PILE!

Reliving the horror with you just made me to throw up in my mouth a little bit.

This happened nearly three hours ago, and I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT. I have had shortness of breath, I'm quite sure I have a rash or some other contagious disease, and I might even be pregnant. I could have any manner of medical conditions because everyone knows what kind of germs can be spread through a twice used toothpick sampler. I don't think even Whole Foods has a pill for this.

The Facts of Life

2008-08-29T18:33:00.001-07:00

Recently, one of my eighth graders (we'll call him Joe) approached my desk after school to inquire about the work habits of a 6th grader. The conversation went something like this....

Joe: Miss Lechinger, how is Jordan doing in your class?
Me: Why do you ask, Joe?
Joe: Because he's my tutee.
Me: I'm sorry, your what?
Joe: He's my tutee...you know, I tutor him.
Me: OHHH, I see....your tutee.

Fortunately, Joe left rather quickly after our conversation. I needed to laugh, and I also needed to google the word "tutee". As it turns out, tutee IS a real word. Until that moment, I was pretty sure "Tutee" referred to an adolescent African American girl who ruled the roost on roller skates while playing referee to Blair Warner and Jo Polniaczek. Clearly I was wrong.

Dryer Drama

2008-08-22T23:36:00.000-07:00

It is Day 10 of the new school year, and I have already forced three 6th graders to tears. THREE...IN TWO WEEKS! This has to be some sort of record. Unfortunately, I cannot criticize their emotional instability because I too found myself in the middle of a ridiculous sobbing fit last Sunday.

My dryer had gone out about a week prior, and I was attempting to connect the power cord to the replacement dryer. Let me get one thing straight...I rent because my dad lives a thousand miles away and can't repair my appliances. It's really that simple. I still have no idea why this mechanical nightmare was my responsibility, but there I was...wedged between the dryer and the wall in my laundry closet...armed with a screw driver and a cell phone...ready to take on the impossible.

Tragically, it took a grand total of about fourteen seconds for my frustration to usher in the waterworks and only another minute or two before I was fully engulfed in the ugly cry. I cried for a variety of reasons. I cried because I needed to do laundry and had no dryer...because I'm single and have no husband to fix my dryer...because I teach 6th graders, and they annoy me... because the plans keep changing...because I hate the word "wait"...because I'm a Texan living in a foreign land...because the computers still aren't working...because the backpacks haven't been shipped...because I have close to 300 essays to grade...because I'm tired and overwhelmed... And, I cried because I was wedged between the wall and my dryer and wasn't sure I would be able to get out.

Toward the end of my breakdown, I talked out loud to a pretend audience and assured them that I was justified in my insanity. They listened intently and eventually agreed. Satisfied, I dried it up, pulled myself up by my Crocs, wormed my way out of my hole of despair, picked up the pieces to my phone, and called it a day. I mean, really, there are people who get paid big bucks for this kind of drama. I needed a nap.

Back to School

2008-08-17T17:33:00.000-07:00

The kids are back in school. It's hard to believe the summer is officially over, but I am glad to have the first week behind me. Our program expanded this year to include 6th grade. This means that I now have students who want to hug me before and after class....EVERY DAY! Apparently, this is part of the learning process when you are eleven. This also means that my classroom now looks more like a giant game of Whack-a-Mole than an educational institution. Seriously, I need chairs with seat belts. I haven't made anyone cry yet, but it is sure to happen. I was created to teach 8th grade. 7th is a stretch, but 6th is simply unnatural. Someone could get hurt, and it will probably be me.

Despite its challenges, I think any teacher would tell you that we have one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. I spent a year in "full-time ministry" only to realize that my greatest ministry is in the classroom. I'll be honest, this year is going to be one of the most difficult of my career. I am writing the curriculum for three grade levels for a class that is not taught anywhere else in the country. I have no textbooks, limited resources, and no teaching partner. I am already incredibly overwhelmed. But, I have the opportunity to make a difference in the life of a child. I get to love kids who feel unlovable. I get to inspire kids who are treated as if they are worthless by those who should praise them the most. I get to listen, to encourage, to teach, to make a kid smile who doesn't have much to smile about. Most importantly, I get to be the hands and feet of Christ each and everyday. From what I can tell, there is no greater opportunity and no greater responsibility.

Agony of De-FEET

2008-08-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

The Credo Corn Cutter - Seriously, who calls it that?

The wounds (both physical and emotional) have healed from my recent pedicure disaster, so I courageously ventured into yet another nail salon this afternoon. I have decided that trying to find a good pedicure in Colorado is much like trying to find a good hamburger in China....I'm not sure either exist. However, I am thrilled to report that I managed to find the Big Mac of pedicures today. What I mean is, I found something decent enough to hold me over until I take a trip to Texas. Although relative success was achieved, today's visit is definitely worth discussing.

Let's start from the beginning...

I entered the salon and was greeted by the friendliest Coloradan EVER. He was a pleasant Asian gentleman who quickly instructed me to pick out my color. I, for one, only wear colors with exciting names...like "Do You Lilac It?", "Have You Seen My Limo?", or "Elephantastic". So, you can imagine my horror when I began to search through the assortment of OPI bottles only to find the names had been removed. I don't even know how to pick a color based solely on its looks. I NEED A NAME. After countless hours of searching, I begrudgingly scooped up a color and threw myself into the massage chair.

The friendliest Coloradan EVER didn't seem to be affected and immediately began my pedicure. It was at this time that I noticed the mole on his chin...the mole with four of the LONGEST mole hairs I have EVER seen. No, they were THE longest mole hairs I have ever seen. I'm not exaggerating when I say they ranged in length from two to say, four and a half inches. I couldn't take my eyes off of them. Fortunately, the friendliest Coloradan EVER (TFCE) was focused on my toes and didn't seem to notice me. There was also another hair that seemed to have no origin. I tried for nearly an hour to follow it, but I finally gave up the search. It is still a mystery to me.

Randomly throughout my pedicure, TFCE would greet the patrons who came into the salon. At one point, a "regular" must have entered because he asked her, "How are your mom and shitsa?"

I beg your pardon? Is this salon PG-13?

It was during the exchange of pleasantries that another patron, Park Ranger Susan, took a seat in the chair next to me. The unfortunate nail tech who sat at her feet had apparently drawn the short straw and was a captive audience as she bored us all with her airplane woes from a 5:30am flight....something about a bag and "he didn't want to mess with me at 5:30 in the morning." Misfortune struck when her neighbor entered the salon and Park Ranger Susan began to recount the same boring tale. Her neighbor wasn't impressed either but did make an attempt to look interested...and even went on to share her own insightful monologue about how it was so humid during her trip to South Carolina that she "wanted to tear her skin off."

All the while, TFCE carried on with my pedicure, and I must say...he took no prisoners. He attacked my heels with the Credo-Corn Cutter (these are illegal in Texas but necessary in Colorado where people hike in Chaco's and only get pedicures on their wedding day) like he was peeling potatoes. I think I lost half a shoe size.

After I was properly "skinned", TFCE began my massage....at least that's what I think it was. He squirted lotion on my legs and then began to hit the bottoms of my feet. I almost hit back but then remembered the mole hairs. Who knows what those things are capable of? Quite frankly, I don't want to know. As luck would have it, the beating didn't last long, and TFCE and I are still friends.

After a semi-impressive paint job, I hobbled over to the drying booth to catch up on my People Magazine reading. The nuggets of information one can glean from a People Magazine are riveting....like the fact that Matthew McConaughey has a brother named Rooster who has a son named Miller Lyte. I wonder if he has a shitsa? I'll have to ask TFCE the next time I visit his salon.

Mid Columbine Trail

2008-08-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

Rose, Kari, and me

The deer in the headlights look...strikingly similar to what I get from my students everyday

In front of Helen Hunt Falls

Kari and me

Rose and me...she did, in fact, come armed with a variety of breakfast snacks

Rose, Kari, and I went on a quick hike in Cheyenne Canyon this morning. Kari and I then went to the Farmer's Market in Old Colorado City. Can I just say that I LOVE summers in Colorado?? By the way, I bought a melon at the Farmer's Market that is a honeydew-cantelope mix. I really don't care for either honeydew or cantelope, but the mix is absolutely delightful. :)

Alpine Slide

2008-08-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

The Finish Line

Darcy coming off the practice track

Darcy, Christy, and me before the big event

Christy is friend of mine from Tech. Nice shirt, Christy!

Bret, Julie, Rose, and Chris.

Rose and me

Paparazzi...they were everywhere!

Last weekend, a few friends and I ventured up to Winter Park for a day of fun and excitement on the Alpine Slide. My friend, Rose, went along...which is to say that we stopped along the way for coffee and pastries. I don't care if we were going to the moon, Rose would know a good pastry shop along the way. Big hug, Rose!

We finally rolled into Winter Park around noon, just in time for a picnic lunch before heading to the Slide. I would love to say the Alpine Slide is a carefree excursion for me, but I get serious when it comes to my sliding (never mind that this is the kind of activity that families with small children do on their summer vacations). I MIGHT have even pretended the people riding the lift above were critiquing my ride...as if they were thinking to themselves, "That girl is so smooth. Look at the way she takes the curves. She is fearless. Tens all the way around." Of course, Alpine Sliding (sure to be an Olympic event) would never be scored by judges...it's a timed event. BUT, there was a shaggy-headed four year old ahead of me who was threatening my quest for the gold. I had to change the pretend rules. I'm not saying for sure, but there might have even been some trash talking involved.

After capturing medals in all three events (the Alpine Slide, the Human Maze, and the Scenic Lift Ride), we called it a day and headed triumphantly back to the Springs. Good times were certainly had by all.

Inservice Highlights

2008-07-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about teacher inservice is the opportunity to take bathroom breaks ANYTIME of the day. This might sound silly to those of you outside of the education world, but it is BIG news for those of us who live our life dictated by a bell. It is especially significant to someone, like myself, whose classroom is a good thirty minute drive from the teacher's lounge.

When school starts again, my water consumption will need to be staggered in such a way as to guarantee there will be no need to visit the facilities during or between classes. Why not between classes? Well, you see, we have a three minute passing period. That's right, three minutes...hardly enough time to sprint from my classroom, maneuver through middle schoolers who don't understand that congregating in the middle of the hall MIGHT just prevent the flow of traffic, wait in line in the teacher's lounge, take care of business, and high tail it back to my room before the start of class. I have tried this for years, and what typically happens is something like this...

I rush out of my room at the sound of the dismissal bell, taking out a few kids in the process. I shout a quick apology and then move ahead with my mission. The consistent pounding from my hustle through the hallway only serves as a catalyst for an already pressing problem. By the time I arrive in the teacher's lounge to take my place in line, the need is so great I am bent over as if to greet the Consulate General of Japan. Just as I near the front of the line, the bell rings and I must return to class...defeated. I arrive late only to find my students in an uproar and my principal seated and prepared to do a formal evaluation....AWESOME!

For this reason, I plan to drink Rhode Island's share of water until the kids come back. I am going to the bathroom every fifteen minutes...just because I can. I'm not rushing either. The way I see it, I have 176 days of potty stops that need to be reconciled before my school district is forced to pay me overtime.

Mimi

2008-07-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

Today marked the end of my first week back to school. It was actually painless and rather productive. Who knew? I really like my team this year. We have a couple of new members, and the team dynamic is working well so far. One of my favorite teaching partners is our Chinese teacher, Mimi. She is our Chinese teacher in that she TEACHES Chinese and in that she is actually FROM China. She speaks GREAT Chinese, and her English is...well...better than my Chinese. She always calls me by my last name, or I should say...by the Chinese version of my last name which is apparently "Lechinja". It cracks me up EVERY TIME.

Mimi and I were roommates last year in Japan. Pause and reflect on that for just a moment, and consider that Mimi's limited English prevents her from understanding sarcasm. She left Japan more convinced than ever that I am absolutely nuts. If I had a nickel for every time I heard, "Lechinja, you crazy", I might have just enough to buy a scoop of green tea ice cream...which I DO NOT recommend unless you're buying it in the states where we add enough sugar to make it tolerable.

But, I digress...

For whatever reason, Mimi is one of my biggest fans. I think it's because I'm from Texas. Regardless, I like to spend as much time as possible in her classroom. What can I say? I'm desperate. I live in a state where people don't understand the art of telling you what you want to hear. Yesterday, she said something along the lines of, "Lechinja, I think you lose five to seven pounds since May." I thanked her profusely but then assured her that I keep close tabs on such things and this was absolutely not the case." I went on and on about the gallons of Blue Bell I consumed while in Texas and about my tacos al carbon with queso from Pappasitos. But, she was insistent.

She then went on to say, "I think maybe you need to gain two pounds. I like your face to be round." At this point, I had to explain that I have never had the luxury of strategically placing excess weight on more advantageous body parts. Otherwise, I would have skinny legs and huge boobs. Still, I took Mimi's advice and decided to pick up a couple of extra pounds at the Dairy Queen that afternoon. I have been plagued with an intense desire to partake of the Girl Scout Cookie Thin Mint Blizzard since the first time I saw it on television, and I found this to be the perfect opportunity. I must say, it was good but definitely not worth the hype. I much prefer the Mint Oreo Blizzard. Even still, the Thin Mint Blizzard did the trick. I successfully relocated a couple of extra pounds that were, in fact, never lost. Unfortunately, my thighs are larger and my face is still not round. I guess I'll just have to keep trying.

Mountain Views

2008-07-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

Grace and Adelaide. Check out Adelaide's flip flops...I guess any two toes will do!

Burke

The top of Independence Pass

View from the top

View from the top

I spent the last couple of days near Aspen with Beth and her family. We spent a good portion of Friday at Target (always a great time) and the Glenwood Springs mall, now affectionately referred to as "The Hall". Then, we ate dinner at Beau Jo's, which is tied with John's in Greenwich Village for my favorite pizza place in the world. After dinner, we went back to Beth's and put my s'mores maker to good use. Truly, there is nothing more enjoyable than a s'more roasted over a Sterno can. I would say it was a pretty perfect way to spend the last weekend of my summer vacation.

An event worth noting is the fact that I finally braved the "treacherous" drive over Independence Pass. The reason this is significant is because I have a stomach turning, head spinning fear of falling off the side of a mountain. I think this probably stems from my many childhood vacations to Lake City, Colorado where my dad and our family friends would pile us into Jeeps and seek out the most narrow trails on the sides of the highest mountains. It was great fun.

I was reminiscing about our Jeep rides in Lake City as I cautiously steered my Toyota across Independence Pass. I can remember the fear and worry that would overtake me as we climbed so many mountain roads, in spite of my dad's assurance that he would take us safely home. I thought of how I missed the view so often because I was too focused on the unknown that lingered around the bend. Then, it occurred to me that our walk with Christ is much the same. God will take us down roads that might seem dangerous, frightening, and unfamiliar. Too often, we worry and plead with Him to find a safer route. All the while, He patiently assures us that He is in control...that no harm will come to us as long as He is driving. Somewhere along the way, we simply have to learn to trust the driver. Quite often, it is the narrow and treacherous roads that lead us to the most incredible views. If we are paralyzed by fear and our own lack of control, we will miss the thrill of the ride. And, we will miss the reward He has waiting for us at the top of the mountain.

Toe Troubles

2008-07-17T13:35:00.000-07:00

Today is my last official day of summer vacation in Colorado Springs. I'm leaving tomorrow for Aspen and will start school Monday. So, I did what any good Texas girl would do at a time like this...I scheduled a massage and a pedicure. I have a GREAT massage therapist, but only in Colorado would a massage be preceded with the warning, "Let me know if I have any hangnails or pokey things on my hands. I rock climb and play guitar."

Okey Dokey.

After my massage, I headed off in search of a good pedicure. I say this because I have yet to discover a nail salon here in the Springs that offers such a thing. Pedicures? Yes. GOOD pedicures? No. It takes only a few minutes of feet watching in Colorado to realize that pretty toes are not high on the priority list.

Today's nail salon candidate was nestled between Great Harvest Bread Company and Hobby Lobby. This scored points right from the start. However, I say "nestled" because the salon was little more than a glorified hallway. There were two ladies in the salon as I entered, the nail tech and her client...in addition to two young boys who spent the remainder of my visit making shooting noises. It was adorable. As I asked if I could have a pedicure, another nail technician emerged from the "back room". She was visibly angered by the fact that I had pulled her away from what appeared to be a British soap opera.

After choosing my color (Cha-Ching Cherry), I took my place in the massage chair and readied myself for what was sure to be another nail disaster. I don't know when my fears were realized. It might have been when blood began dripping down my big toe, or it could have been when she raised my legs above my head in an attempt to rid my heals of anything less than smooth and silky. Not even a full body massage could have prepared me for such an exercise.

Twenty-five minutes after the fun began (I'm not exaggerating), I was sitting with my toes drying under what was perhaps the first nail dryer ever to be invented. After two or three minutes of dry-time, a young Asian man entered the salon carrying balloons and wearing a sombrero. It was then that I began looking for the cameras (the hidden ones that capture the expressions of "foreigners" like myself who are attempting to assimilate into this strange land). I couldn't find them.

The only bright spot in my pedicure fiasco was the fact that it ended quickly enough for me to rush home in time to catch the end of Little House on the Prairie. After all, a visit to Walnut Grove is sure to be the cure-all for any type of disaster.

Pretzel Anyone?

2008-07-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

Beth and me at the Broadmoor

In just a few days, I will be heading to Aspen to spend some time with my BFF Beth. I met Beth when I was eleven...the year that Miss Malissa was my official referee camp counselor and the year we all sang Friends are Friends Forever in the back of the dining hall. No one knew all the words, but it was powerful nonetheless. Beth has remained a faithful friend through every imaginable event and circumstance over the past twenty-something years, and I am so very thankful to have her in my life. She is an encourager, a listener, a caring mom to her three kids, and a great wife to Mark. She also has an uncanny ability to throw up without making a sound. I'm not kidding. It's unnatural. She has given me permission to share this story because, quite frankly, it just isn't fair to keep it to ourselves anymore.

It's 1980-something...we're at Astroworld...a mid summer evening in Houston...about 173 degrees outside. Our gang of park-goers consists of our friend Julie, Beth, and myself. I would imagine our hair had probably settled a good five or six inches by this time, since it was late in the day and the humidity was at least 97%. I'm not sure what we were wearing, but I'm guessing "pinch rolling" and multiple pairs of socks might have been involved. As the park is closing, Beth decides she wants a large soft pretzel with mustard. I'm in agreement...no reason not to be. After partaking of the amusement park delicacy, we head for one last roller coaster. The fun ends, and we walk toward the exit to wait for our ride home.

So, here's the visual...Julie, Tiffany, and Beth (in that order...all with minor sunburns and looking very much like middle schoolers) sitting on a curb in the dark with an illuminated Astroworld sign behind us. I am doing my best to trade my squirt gun (no idea where this came from) for a stuffed animal. Finally, an upstanding gentleman agrees. He takes my squirt gun, proceeds to shoot me with it, and then runs out of the park with my gun AND his stuffed animal. At some point during the commotion, Beth taps me on the shoulder and says calmly, "I just threw up." With great compassion (my squirt gun has just been hijacked for crying out loud), I reply, "No you didn't." At which time, she points to the evidence hidden in the shadows of the Astroworld sign.

Let me just say this...the last time my dinner made an upward resurgence was the night before my first 9th grade basketball game. It was so violent that I had to schedule a full body massage the next day. I have literally willed myself out of ever experiencing such hardship again. But Beth? I knew that night at Astroworld that we would be friends for life. Anyone with THAT kind of talent is a rare gem and can be my roller coaster riding buddy ANY time!

Blinded

2008-07-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

Mary

Neti Pot

So, I'm watching Little House on the Prairie yesterday. This is not an unusual occurrence. I LOVE Little House on the Prairie, and I'm not afraid to say it. Yesterday, Mary was sure her sight was returning. I wasn't as convinced. After all, I've seen this episode at least 37 times. We all know it was just her mind playing tricks on her. Get real, Mary! Anyhow...During a commercial break, I decided to address a minor cold with a little action from my neti pot.

For those of you who have never heard of a neti pot, allow me to give a quick explanation. The neti pot looks similar to a small teapot and is filled with a saline solution that can be poured through your sinuses. You literally turn your head, pour the solution into one nostril, and allow the saline to come out the other side. It's an attractive process. There is also the option to add a drop or two of aromatherapy to the solution. There are an assortment of products available, but I usually choose to add a bit of eucalyptus to the mix. Yesterday, I accidentally added 6 or 7 drops of eucalyptus to my saline solution instead of the recommended one or two. At this point, I SHOULD HAVE poured it out and started over again. But, I didn't. What can I say? The commercial was over, and Mary was awaiting her test results. There was no time for starting over.

So, I quickly proceeded to begin the miserable process that might have once been a form of Japanese torture. I'm not sure. Now, I'm not saying the unfortunate overdose of eucalyptus made a difference, but it only took a few seconds for me to wonder if I might be joining Adam and Mary at the blind school. I couldn't breathe. I cried as if Simon Birch had killed Ashley Judd all over again. I was sure I had singed every fiber of my being and would never again be the same. I stammered from one side of the kitchen to the other contemplating whether paramedics should be contacted. It was a pain I had never known before, and it didn't end quickly.

At some point during my agonizing fight for life, I decided I needed to finish my mango flavored Mix One drink. I don't know why. I guess I was just thirsty. Mysteriously, it seemed to act as a neutralizer to the prolonged burning sensation. I couldn't finish it fast enough. Within minutes, I was experiencing what Mary could only hope for...I COULD SEE. And, it wasn't my imagination. It was real. I could see the old Edward's house that Laura and Albert had painted for my homecoming. I could see Ma waiting for me at Nellie's. And, I could see Hester Sue and the other blind children. Suddenly, all was right with the world. I had a new lease on life...which was a good thing because it was just about time for another episode of Little House on the Prairie.

Here We Go...

2008-07-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

Madison and me at the Astros-Rockies game

Cade

Zachary

Reid and me at Cade's Birthday Party

My mom has been after me for months to start a blog. Quite frankly, I still do just about everything she tells me to do, so here we go. To begin, I am in my early (okay mid) 30's and single. This alone should provide me with a great deal of material in the coming months...years. I am a Texan living in Colorado. For those who don't know, Coloradans DO NOT like Texans. Fortunately for me, there are only about five or six native Coloradans who still live here, and they can be easily identified by the green and white NATIVE bumper sticker on the back of their Subaru's . Everyone else is from California, Texas, or a state beginning with a vowel.

I just returned from a month long trip to Houston, and my hair and I have never been happier to be home. My family is all still in the Houston area. I am CRAZY about my family. I am the oldest of six children and have a niece and three nephews. Two of my sisters are married, two are still in college, and my brother lives at home. We like to do everything together. I'm not sure if you're doing the math here, but "together" includes fourteen people. Let me give you a visual.

Dinner (you pick the restaurant). We enter. All heads turn. Restaurant employees tremble. My brother is usually the first to be noticed. He is almost 19 and is severely handicapped. He is LOUD and enters most rooms with his hands waving as if we have just won the Super Bowl. Of course, this is Houston. We will never win the Super Bowl. So, right away people know something is amiss. Next to be noticed is probably Cade. Cade is every bit of two (or TEEEWWWWW as he likes to say). He is FULL of energy and typically jumps from one place to the next. Then, there's my one year old nephew Zachary. Zachary is a busy body but is usually quite content as long as he is eating. He also has a smile that will make you melt, so this relaxes a few guests. His older sister, Madison is eight. She is as close to perfect as an eight year old can be but never misses a chance to accessorize. Reid is just a few months old, so he only makes a scene when he is hungry. This usually only happens in quieter dining facilities, rarely in Chick-fil-A. The rest of us enter the restaurant, each acting as if we are a guest of this crazy family. Unfortunately, we all bear a freakish resemblance to one another and can't pull this off. I won't go into the events of the entire meal, but your imagination can't do it justice. I've noticed over the past few years that our food tends to come out rather quickly. So does the check. Does this mean anything?

It is also important for you to know that I am a 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Social Studies teacher. I just finished my twelth year in middle school, fifteenth if you include my own experience. This means that I have spent nearly one half of my life in middle school. Is this why I'm still single? Let's just say it is, that's easier.

As for my single life, I've learned to enjoy it...not enough to do it forever (let's not be crazy), but enough to embrace it for now. I'm somewhere between "It's just not worth the free meal." and "You have a job? Great, let's get married." You single people know what I'm talking about.

So, that's a little about me. I have MANY words, so there is much more to follow...