Christmas Vacation

I've already had a very enjoyable Christmas break, and it's only day two! I spent yesterday cleaning and running a few errands. Now, that may not seem like a relaxing day to most people, but I really had an enjoyable and productive day. It's amazing how much work you can get done with business when they're open because its a week day. A savings account was opened, bills were paid, some items were cancelled all because I had a Friday off.  Beautiful!

Things did take a turn for the stressful at 7:30 last night. A group of Ulysses High School alums get together with a world famous magician to put on a fund raiser performance of "The Woman in Black." I was terrified. Bonnie and I slept together in the living room with the Christmas Lights still on.  Now Bonnie's at work, and I'm still nervous to be home alone. There is a reason I don't watch scary anything...

Today I'm still chilling on the living room floor, but I'm planning Christmas Dinner tomorrow. My sister and I celebrate at our house on the eve of Christmas Eve.  Yep. On Christmas Eve eve. I'll be making ham, yams, salad, rolls, green bean casserole, and a (hopefully) delicious cranberry orange sparkling juice. It's the whole sha-bang. Then we'll open our presents from each other.  Unless I can convince her that we should open presents tonight!

Today Bonnie and I are spending the second Saturday crafting with our friend Victoria. With a little Christmas spirit, some hot glue, lots of glitter, and after a long shopping trip at Hobby Lobby I have created a couple things I would like to share. 

These are the wall ornaments I made. I bought some fun Christmas fabric and wooden fabric rings at Hobby Lobby. With just a bit of trimming and hot gluing they are complete! I can't wait to see how cute these will be hanging on the wall in our laundry area. 

If you don't know already, I'm a fan of the Indianapolis Colts and my classroom is decorated in white and blue. This crayon wreath will fit in perfectly with my blue football tree and who doesn't love a few Jingle Bells?

I cannot claim these as my own work. Bonnie made thes for my classroom tree as well. Isn't she awesome?

These are not all the crafts tha have kept me busy, but the melted crayon tree looks like it stabbed somebody and my ornaments with the paint inside are definitely leaving a lot to be desired. 

I hope you have a merry Christmas and a Wonderfully Happy New Year!!!

I just started sponsoring a little fellow in Indonesia through Compassion International. I wrote my first letter last night and was able to include our Christmas card for a picture, but I'm looking for ideas of flat paper items to send him in the next letter. Of course stickers, bookmarks, and photos are the listed options but I want to send him some fun items. I tried my hand at origami tonight, so I think that will be fun shipping that to him, but I'm looking for more ideas.

Can you offer any other suggestion for flat paper items I can send to Danu?

I'm back!

Just like the Terminator, the Backstreet Boys, and other horror film characters I know nothing about, I'm back.
The last post on this beauty of a blog was in June... of 2011. Oops.
I seriously contemplated just starting a new blog to see if anyone noticed, but that involves a new name and template and creativity that I don't have lots of now. Instead I'll just pick up where I left off and go from there.

A long time ago I moved to Ulysses. I had a crazy school year-lots of issues, lots of learning opportunities, lots of learning about the issues... Long story short, I survived!

Over a year later, we've created life-long friendships, moved up in our careers, found a church we love and that helps us grow, eaten more Mexican food than I'd ever thought possible, and actually gotten tired of Sonic. I never thought that last thing would happen.

Basically, we're happy! As I read my posts from during the moving process I see how much I was freakng out over nothing. But that's how it goes, right? We're worried about the next step, what's over the next hill or waiting for us around the corner.  This is my inspiration verse for the week:

“Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen!  Do you not recognize  it? Yes, I will make a road in the desert and paths  in the wilderness. (Isaiah 43:19 NET)

Now, I'm pretty much living in a desert, and its dry and flat out her. We have more cows than people, and without irrigation, we wouldn't even be able to feed them!
But, I'm not going to be worried about the valleys of life, or where this path leads. If He is creating it for me, then I'm taking it. Do we know what awaits us? Nope. Who knows what will happen at the end of the school year, or if Bonnie & I decide to "divorce?" He's got the path laid out and if there's anything Kansas can teach you, it's to follow the (yellow brick) road no matter what.

P.S.  Thanks to my neighbor for allowing the use of her wi-fi and to my school district for the use of the iPad. Without both, this blog would still be waiting for me.

The Light At The End Of A Very Long Tunnel

It's probably a good thing only one person saw me last night. Bonnie is used to my break-downs and my constant tears don't really bother her too much anymore. And for that I love you Poopy-Head McGee!

I've had some stresses these past few months mostly involving my new job in Ulysses but it all came tumbling down (like Jack and Jill on that stinkin hill) last night.  Fortunately I have loving family and friends who helped me see the positives. So instead of focusing on the bad, I'm looking for the bright sides of life and I'm going to share them with you.

1. I have a job. It's a good paying position doing something I enjoy. Teaching in a larger community with many teachers is going to help me grow and learn so much. As I'm typing this, the news station just said 15% of the US are unemployed. There are so many people out there who don't have any means to support themselves and their families. I'm blessed to be employed.

2. I have a home. Actually I'll have two different homes for the next month while I'm moving and Bonnie is working. There are millions of people living in dangerous low-income project housing, in their cars or on the streets. I'm blessed to have a roof over my head.

3. I have a family. There is love and care in my family. I know my parents have my back and my extended family are beyond supportive. Even though we don't always get along, I love them all more than I can say or show. And my sister is moving with me. It's nice to have a familiar face when stepping out of one's comfort zone. Thousands of orphans are lonely and unloved. They don't know what family means, much less looks like. I'm blessed to have a loving family.

4. I have friends.  One of the the brightest rays of happiness that shown down on me last night was the fact I get to see my friends, even though it didn't look like it would be possible. I get to enjoy their company in Kansas City and have one last great weekend before going back west. Many people are struggling to survive without any support. I'm blessed to have such wonderful friends.


Thank you to everyone who showed me the light at the end of the tunnel, and helped me to see that I'm blessed because I'm not traveling through the tunnel alone.

Moving On Up...

But not to the east side.

You may or may not have heard by now that I am moving. I applied, interviewed, and accepted a 3^rd grade teaching position in Ulysses, KS. Deciding to move was not very difficult for me. I’m tired of small towns and their cons. For example, last Friday, Bonnie and I began to tell people in Ransom that we are planning to move. We told mostly coworkers and employees. On Saturday every person I saw asked about my move-some people I didn’t even know. It took all weekend but I did get my first Facebook message today. This isn’t the first time rumors of my leaving have spread like butter on toast, (“wildfire” seemed too cliché) but it’s the first time they’ve been true. Not everything is bad though, I will miss many people I’ve met here, and there are a few whom I hope will remain good friends.

This move is a good change, but that doesn’t mean I’m happy to leave everything behind. Unfortunately, the bigger and better is further and further away. I love my family, and being over 6 hours away from my grandparents is going to hurt so much.

Timing is everything, and this seems to be my time to step out of my comfort zone and find out more about the world. I’m going from a town of 200 to a town of 6,000 and I’m nervous but ready.

On a positive note, if nothing else works out there… I’m going to live close to a Sonic and I’ll get happy hour everyday if I want. It’s easy to look at a glass half-full if it’s a large styrofoam cup of Dr. Pepper with extra extra vanilla and easy ice.

***VOTE*** For which direction you would like to move for your dream location.

PCH!

I have a guilty pleasure. It’s the Publisher’s Clearing House. I like getting their thick envelopes in the mail. It’s like a puzzle where you not only have to find the right spots for the pieces to go to, but you also have to search through cheesy advertisements to FIND the pieces. Of course the ads for unnecessary, ridiculous, over-priced items make the searching even more fun. Who wouldn’t want an American Flag Wind Chime for only four payments of $3.99? It’s “A lovely way to show your patriotic spirit!” and you can get a second one for only anther $4.00! (This makes me think that if they’re making money off of just $4, the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th payments for the first set of chimes are adding $11.97 towards MY next big win!)

After laughing at the terrible ads for “Orange and Cherry Slices,” “Mississippi Harmonica Co. & Harmonica Playing Made Easy Books,” and “Battery-operated toilet cleaning brushes,” I turn to my personalized notices from several people. Each person seems genuinely interested in what is best for me, and strongly encourages me to complete the entry forms and buy three items to get seven more items (I don’t want) for free! And of course I must do it all NOW. Not a second to lose. After all, I wouldn’t want my number to be called but not receive my $1,000,000 because I merely missed the deadline.

Like I said I enjoy PCH. They give me a reason to smile at least once a week, and it’s worth the 40-something cent stamp (is it 44 cents? I can’t remember right now) because I’ll be guaranteed to have more entertainment soon. Please don’t think that I EXPECT to win. And even though they have printed off directions from the flower shop to my house (with the wrong directions) I have no intention of actually being presented with a whole bunch of flowers, balloons, and a giant check. But if that even does happen, please pray that I will be wearing pants when they surprise me.

My favorite prize was the $1,000,000 a day, everyday, for the rest of my life. Sometimes I discuss my options with my sister. Of course I can think of many churches, shelters, and non-profit organizations to receive my $100,000 a day donation. Maybe I’ll create a rotating list. Then I’ll be paying off all of my debts. Good-bye student loans and car payments! By the end of the week I’d be $7,000,000 richer, and I’d even pay my full taxes on it – you’re welcome United States Treasury. I’d pay for my friend’s wedding, my sister’s daycare, a couple of cars for the other two sisters, completely re-do my parent’s house, and have the absolute BEST classroom parties EVER! But don’t expect to be a “long-lost” relative coming to bug me for my newly acquired money. I’ll be generous, but not a push over, and if you’re not on my Christmas Card list now, you probably won’t be on my give-away list then.

This was a long sarcastic blog that I hope made you laugh a bit. Now have a great day, and enjoy life!