Author Unknown...

I am reading a newly-purchased, bargain bin book that challenges readers to look beyond the superficial, outward appearances and see through to the heart of others. That is what I want, both to see and be seen for who I am without fear of judgment and rejection. I was drawn to this particular passage, a poem highlighting the differences between strong women by the world's standards and women who rely on the strength of God, and wanted to share it...

"A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape...but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.
A strong woman isn't afraid of anything...but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear.
A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her...but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone.
A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...but a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them.
A strong woman walks sure-footedly...but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.
A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face...but a woman of strength wears grace.
A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.
-Author Unknown

Learning everyday...

For Julia...

Friend, I appreciate you! I miss you bunches. I think I am going through withdrawal :(

An update just for you...

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Week-

Everyone needs a Chicka Chicka Coconut Tree...this one needed some help :)

Looking much better...

What a great week!!! We read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, listened to some Tropical Music, tasted a REAL coconut...and had a fabulous time!!!!!

Look what fell from our coconut tree!!!!!

YUM!!!!!!

Visit the School Day!!

Today was the day! I got to meet my students and their families! I have such cute kids!!! Funny how the majority of them acted shy! I do know that will not be the case for very long. I can't wait to see how they grow and develop this year.
School starts Thursday. Tomorrow I leave for a two-day retreat with my new school family. It will be fun. I work with people who will see to it that it is fun...

And then the year begins...

Classroom Update...

Things seem to be coming together:

"join me at the carpet, please" (carpet purchased, coming soon)...looks as though we are almost ready for morning meeting!

counter space lookin' like its ready for the first day of school!! not too fond of the drawer labels, but we can remedy that later...

centers up and ready to run! can't wait to start the word wall!!!!

a reading center rug! FINALLY!!!! thought it looked a little like grass- perfect for our coming attraction (stay tuned)!!!!

"It's going to be a COLORFUL year!!!"

very COLORFUL!!

and who can forget...

the beginning of it all!!!!!!!

Time is up. Tomorrow is "Visit the School" Day- the day I get to meet my students and their families. I am looking forward to it. But there is much still to be done!

New Chapters

WE are a week and a half out from the beginning of school! I signed my teaching contract on Monday and now have until Sunday to have my classroom ready. Sunday is the day we meet the parents!


This is where we are today:

It is a process...

Biggest accomplishment of the day?? The calendar bulletin board, which was left undone...

Lots of pretty cabinets...lots of storage space!!!!

A bit more chaos to deal with in the morning...

You can't see it from this angle, but that white board is WAAAAYYYYY crooked...

Nothing else much to say...

A to Z bookends: and wall art which reads "Every child is a story yet to be told."

There is so much to be done. And I have a ton of great ideas!!! I can't wait to get this year started!!!!! The theme in my classroom this year is FROGs (Fully Rely On God). And we send home with each of the students the stuffed 'class pet.' This year I am going to make several of them, each a little bigger than the previous, and the more the kids read the more he will GROW!!!!! I think this is one of my favorite ideas! What a unique way to motivate those developing readers!!!!!!!!

Comedy

There are days when I think that my life is completely sitcom-worthy. With such characters as boss (now ex-boss), who decides there is no place for me at his company but promptly asks if I will help his company move to their new building(after I am no longer working with them); co-worker who pinches me in inappropriate places and spells my name wrong on my 'farewell' card; sisters who fight like enemies and fall like clutzes; and me who can't decide what cereal to have in the morning or the best route to take to get to walmart...the comedy would not fail for lack of viewers!!!

There are moments when I cannot believe the situations in which I have gotten involved...I lived with a houkah lounge owner for a week. I lived with a scary crazy lady for six months. I have been courted, dated, stalked (all in the same week- not all by the same person)...I have been happy, angry, sad, psychotic (all in the same five minutes)...I have conquered, failed, run away, faced my giants...

I have learned. Lessons that may not have come about without the presence of these seemingly crazy circumstances. I have learned to ask important questions. To stand up for myself in situations where my security is threatened, even in the slightest. To interview employers and roomates, don't let them do all the asking! To breathe in the moment. Take it all in and not worry about the next moments. And to take a break and laugh- at yourself, at your family, and that sitcom...because laughter is, afterall, what helps us get through it all!

Finding good...

There is a certain someone. One who I know loves me in his own way. One who, despite shortcomings, mistakes, broken promises and failures, has succeeded in knocking down some of the wall that I have built over the last decade.

I have long wished for a different family dynamic. There were things for which I hoped and that I never got. I felt jilted in some way because I did not receive love they way they packaged it. I was looking for gaudy ribbons, shiny paper and novelty tags. But their gifts came in unexpected wrapping. And many times I missed them.

Not so this time. The difference, I think, was that I asked. I needed help. I called. They came. They stayed with me, stood up for me, made sure that the problem was satisfactorily solved. In the process some things occurred which only served to escalate the situation. I was in tears, they were irate, and not a lot was accomplished. But I knew in that moment that those people would do anything in the world for me. They did what I couldn't do. They stood up to people I didn't know how to defend myself against. They let these people know that we were not going away until the problem was solved. They were the epitome of what I always thought parents should be. Defenders, protectors, warriors in the battle of the World versus their Children. And though I was in tears, drained of strength and hope for that moment, I knew that they were my strength and hope. They knew how to get the job done. And they did.

What a perfect (though quite imperfect) example of what God is for us. He has done what we couldn't do. He has conquered sin and death through Jesus Christ in order that we may have abundant life forever. He is our defense, our strength, our protection, our hope.

I have a new understanding the term 'father.' A new understanding of what that term means in regards to my earthly father and my Heavenly Father. I am seeing Him in a brighter light. One that has revealed more of who He is and what He is all about. And I am seeing my dad differently. I have, for so long, focused on the things I felt that I had missed, instead of seeing the many things that I had already been given...
And all it took was a towed car, some very cold weather, some not-nice towing company people, and my dad!!!!!

For me, he will cancel his plans...

That is what he said. He has a weekly meeting that he will skip this week, because I asked him to go see a high school play with me. And we will be eating dinner beforehand.

First date? You be the judge...

The Flowers...

...seem happier this morning. They are not so droopy. A little bit of love and a lot of water go a long way-

What I Learned in Kindergarten Today-

#1. Open-toed shoes and kindergarteners don't mix. Countless anklebiters stepped on my toes today, of all days, when I wore sandals.

#2. Always, always, always clean off your desk! You never know when some new friend might bring you flowers.

I walked into my classroom ready for a much needed break and found a beautiful bunch of Pink Tulips! Just gorgeous!!! Only, my desk was quite unprepared for this addition. It was a complete mess!!! YIKES! Oh well, I now know better. I will try to keep my desk cleaner (not that I will receive pink tulips ever again)...

And thank you, special friend, for thinking of me today. It was the bright spot in my day...

Well,

it took me several days, but all is fixed for now. I was told that nothing had been reported to the credit bureaus and that the mistake was taken care of.

Part of me wonders if it is really over. They told me all was fixed but they also told me I owed at least 1 month's rent last week...only time will tell.



;)

Ironic

Several weeks ago, I received a notice on my apartment door stating that I was renting a washer/dryer unit from them and had not paid up. I promptly called and informed them that I did not have one of their units. "Oh we know, we sent one of those notices out to everyone."

"What? Are you kidding me????? Shouldn't they know who is renting from them?
Whatever, situation taken care of...

Until today. Yes, I received another notice on my door today stating that I owed at least one month's rent.

WHAT???? I owe a lot of people a lot of things. But rent to these apartment people is one thing that has not made the list...I am current. Have been since the day I moved in!

I called. No one answered.
Went by. All locked up.

Are you kidding me? Is this really happening? Are these people so dense that they can't mark me off the list every month for paying, and on time!?!?!?!!!

This is somewhat ironic because I have had some financial trouble in the past and have worked very hard to overcome this. If I am going to be reported to the credit bureaus regardless of my good payment history, then what is the point of trying to work hard to better my credit?!?!?!!

Ugh!!!!!

Note to self...

...and any other first year kinder teachers out there.

It is not a good idea to talk with too much detail about the way our bodies work. You might just find out that they know a lot more than you do...and have some very awkward questions.

:\

Crystal needs...

to do this, simply go to Google, type in "*Your Name* Needs" and copy the top ten answers to your blog...

Crystal Needs-

1. a lot of love.

2. someone that will be patient and who is willing to explain things to her.

3. a home.

4. to sit in a super-saturated solution to keep growing.

5. just 6-8 inches of snow.

6. improvement.

7. reviews.

8. to spend a great deal of time in solitude to meditate.

9. to sparkle again.

10. her hand held a little.

Almost scary, this is. Google knows me too well ;)

Better...

Welcome to Day 2. Feeling better about myself today. Not necessarily looking better, but I AM on my way!!

Yuck

There comes a point in life when you look into the mirror and the person looking back absolutely disgusts you. That point for me came earlier in the week. And yesterday my solution arrived in the mail. I am excited at the prospect of what I can be and a little frustrated that it won't happen fast enough. Maybe if I post my success and failure, I will be a bit more motivated to work at making better choices for my life and health. So this is my starting point. I am what I am. But I am thankful that I do not have to stay this way...

I Should Have Known...

...that the day before a school party day, Walmart would be packed. There were people crawling everywhere, and I unwillingly added to the chaos. It makes me crazy that people will just stand in the way chit-chatting and wondering what to buy. Here is a little hint for you- Rush Hour is not the time to stand in the middle of the aisle trying to decide what you want. Rush Hour is the time when you rush in and grab the things on which you have already decided. If you want to go browse, shop, hang out, etc. please go at a more appropriate time- say, 2:00 am. It will save us all time and frustration. Or go shopping beforehand and make a list. Decide on what you want and then go get it. (I know this is unrealistic, but I am looking to the future when we all live in a perfect world).

And it makes me crazy that people drive their carts the way they drive their cars. There really needs to be some sort of blinker system installed on those buggies...and maybe traffic lights at aisle intersections...sounds like a policy paper- hmmmm.

Yes, Walmart makes me crazy. But it is all over and I can put it behind me. Until tomorrow (when I undoubtedly will have to go get something that I forgot tonight...)

Oy!

Receiving...

On my drive in to work one morning I heard on the radio an author promoting some new book. I can’t tell you the name of the author or his work, but the one point that caught my attention was that “one cannot give what he has not received.” I decided that to move to the place where God wants me to be, I need to place myself in positions to receive love. To learn from others how it is given and received. So that I could receive from and give to others.

But before I can do that, I need to understand what it means to receive love. And so, a journey begins. A quest to learn what love truly is, and how it is received. I know that Christ is our ultimate example. And God works through everyday people to teach us such lessons as these. He has placed me in the very place I need to be to learn and understand this complex question.

And it seems that, since that morning, there have countless opportunities to receive from others. My job now is to not only recognize them, but open up and receive them...

Continuing the game...

If you want to play, leave a comment on this post letting me know, and I'll assign you a letter. You post ten things you love that begin with your assigned letter. When people comment on your list, you give them a letter, and the chain continues on and on. I got the letter M, so here goes!

1. Mail...I love mail! I love it so much that I have been known to send myself letters...

2. Markers. Coloring is such a stress relief. Coloring with markers is almost euphoric!!!

3. Maps. I was once a geography teacher and still am, at heart.

4. Mork and Mindy. Funny tv show. FUNNY!

5. Mysteries.

6. Matches. I am a closet pyro...muahahahahaaaa!!!!

7. Mathematics. Love solving these problems (so much easier compared to other of life's issues)

8. Make-believe...nothing quite like escaping reality ;)

9. Mad Libs...need I say more?

10. Mom's mashed potatoes...absolutely the best!

Is there anyone out there like me?

I got sucked into an infomercial this morning and eventually gave in to the urge to buy. It was a good deal, and if I use it, it will work. But then again, if I use the myriad of other impulse buys, they would work too!!! Ha! So here I sit, excited at the prospect that I have something coming in the mail and disgusted at myself for spending money meant for saving...

Maybe my joy over the the product's efficient effectiveness will outweigh my guilt... :\