Snow Days, PLURAL!

So I've just made history. Okay, well I didn't make history, but I lived through history! Virginia hasn't had this much snow in over 100 years. Getting snow like this is unheard of. I haven't been to school since Thursday of last week. LAST week. We've had 5 snow days in a row and Friday looks iffy. We are to have our Black History Celebration on Friday, so it really just depends if Mr. Jones wants to deal with the wrath of the parent who has planned this whole celebration.  


It's been a continual aloud declaration of "we don't have school tomorrow!" to help us realize how crazy this whole thing is. Now I'm not surprised with the phone chain call to tell us about tomorrow's cancellation. My body TOTALLY knows how much snow is outside. I've been shoveling all week.  Erin even went out on her roof and cleaned it off so it wouldn't collapse. Nice of the landlady to tell us to check...but didn't give us a method of fixing it.


The snow is absolutely breathtaking. the view is amazing. The layers of snow are unbelievable. The crystals are sparkling under the light of the moon.


I've enjoyed movies, cleaned my room, read an entire book, painted my toenails (blue and orange to boot!), went to the mall in between the dumpings of snow because cabin fever is REALLY grabbing us, gotten a lot of sleep and have played a little Wii. I'm actually disappointed in our Wii playing. Granted, I don't have a teenage boy living here, so it's understandable, but I really need to get my money's worth with my new toy! 


Now we have school scheduled for Presidents Day which is totally fine with me. It'll make planning a lot easier.


Friday night Erin and I are going over to friends house to celebrate the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics. I love watching iceskating! Kristi Yamaguichi is my hero! Yah, I know, she's not skating anymore, but I still adore her and loved watching her when I was little. Now all the girls who are skating seem sooooo little! Let's see what happens in Canada! Go Team USA!

SNOW DAY!

This snow storm has been named Epic. The maps show it as a paralyzing storm. We are predicted to get the minimum of 16 inches and probably closer to 24. All the schools were cancelling yesterday and there wasn't a snowflake in the air! We were bugging Harold about cancelling school and he was being so goofy about it. We've already had a day with no morning extended care (YAY!) and a 2 hr delay on Wed. It's been a nice week! Harold finally cancelled and we knew by 630pm Thursday. It's so nice that we knew before 5am. The snow has been falling since 10 am and starting sticking around 4pm. Erin and I decided we needed to go outside and get shoveling. Last blizzard, right before Christmas, we didn't shovel until it stopped and we TOTALLY regretted it. So, we headed out to attack the snow. I got an AMAZING snow shovel from dad for Christmas and it's the best gift I got. 2 hours and a snowman later, it still looked like we hadn't done a thing. We could have just stayed out there all night without stopping and the driveway would never be clear. It's unbelievable! It's coming down at like 2 to 3 inches an hour. The snow plows have not stopped clearing the roads. 


Our cars have mo-hawks. Our snowman is super cute.  AND he's wearing huge sunglasses. I don't have pictures, but I will soon. The snow turned into a sleety type and it was hurting so we came in. We are thawing out and enjoying the ambiance of candles and overstuffed blankets. 


I think we are heading back out to shovel. AGAIN. We looked out and it looks like we didn't do A THING! Where's the boyfriend when we need him??


I'm pretty sure that we've had more snow than PA. :-)

I Keep Tearing Up...

All through the morning I have been tearing up.

And it's all about the same thing-We need to do something for Haiti. Yes, many countries have things go wrong and I haven't felt so compelled as I have now to do something. The tsunami was bad, but it didn't call me to action. It didn't hurt my heart as much as it should/could have. But this one, this one is getting me.

I just read Kristin's blog about my youth group at home. They raised  $1200 in one night of youth group. Unbelievable. Tears.

One of my 8th grade students is from Haiti. His brother is in 6th grade and his sister is in my 1st grade Spanish class. They got a call from the grandparents yesterday and reported that they were okay, but he hasn't heard from any other family members that are there. Cousins, Aunts and Uncles, are somewhere in the country of Haiti.

To be so far away and be in that constant fear is unreal. Tears.

We need to do something. God's timing is perfect because we had a chapel message yesterday about "taking the shot". About how a 9 year old kid decided to take a shot, actually, 2,057 freethrow shots, to raise money to support 8 World Vision kids for 2 years. He was 9. HE didn't make all of those shots. But it wasn't about making the shot. It was about taking the shot. Tears.

All of the kids in my school heard this message and they are pumped. They want to do something.

And now we have something to do it for.  We can't let the fire die but we have to figure out what to do. What will work? What can elementary kids do? 3rd graders were brainstorming-what can I do well? What do I have a passion for? They want to be sponsored for how many pages they read, or how many baskets they can make, or tackles or whatever else they can think of.

Please be in prayer, first of all, for the Adriens. And for everyone else in Haiti.

2nd, please pray that we figure out the best way to do something. Anything.

You know it's almost time for break when...

This morning, I welled up with tears because someone stole 2 cans of pop from an unopened box in the stairwell.

I threw a mini tantrum when the copier was being stupid and threw the piece of paper on the ground in the hallway when Kristin said she wouldn't help me (only as a joke)

My head hurts so badly because of the weather change and the onset of a big snow storm. Which, of course, isn't coming on a school day, but the weekend.

There isn't a trashbag in my garbage can for the 2nd day in a row.

I just need to get home.

A Prayer for my Husband

Dear Lord,
I beg You, please protect my husband. I don't know who he is, but I know You do. I know that You have hand-picked him for me and are just waiting for the most amazing moment to let me in on the secret.
Protect him Lord-from all the things that would pull him away from You. Protect him from bad choices in simple things like music and movies and the use of his time, to BIG things, like girls that pass him by and the glances he wants to steal and dwell on, to thoughts, to running to someone else for love.

Keep him pure, Lord. Keep him pure. Keep his mind on things above and not on the things around him. Do not allow him to give into temptations. Keep them ONLY as temptations if he has to be attacked by them. Stay by his side when he is weak. Keep him standing strong when he wants to sit or lay. Bring people into his life that will be an accountability partner for him. Someone he can run to when things are so hard and when things don't make sense. Help him to be honest and humble when he messes up so that his relationship with You will be repaired and restored.

When we have fights or are just not communicating well, please help us talk through things, not bury them until we do stupid stuff. Stupid things to get back at each other for a small hurt.

Lord, help me to help him. Create in me now the ability to be a stronghold and a helpmate for him. Help me to put myself last. Help me to be aware of what's going on and be able to talk to him about everything.

All around us Lord, people are falling. Believers are being pulled away by sin. Pastors are falling, people who we would never suspect. We are not free. We are not safe. Please Lord, mold and guide us each individually in our lives now before you bring us together.

Please protect and hold my husband close.

~Amen.~

Addition

Another thing that makes me happy.....

Luke. The guy on Gilmore Girls? The man of my dreams? He makes me happy.

Things that make me happy

It's been a long time since I've sat down and recorded things that make me happy. Things that put a smile on my face. We have been reminded in Sunday school while studying James, happiness is different than joy. Happiness depends on our circumstances. External things that happen to us. Joy is internal. Joy is not dependent on our mood or circumstances. It is deep down. It is how we feel in the midst of trial. It's often not temperamental.

Right now I'm going to focus on the things that make me happy. External things. I'll touch on joy in a little bit (or in another post....) This needs to be done to bring perspective to life and to realize life isn't as hard or as horrible or as bad or as draining as it seems to be each day of the week. Saturdays are a good day to think about things that make you happy. What makes you happy? Take the time to write it down. I dare you.

1. Pictures of my nephew, either experiencing what a pumpkin is, crawling across the floor, or recovering from his black eye. Or almost eating a leaf. :-)
2. Hugs from children
3. Inside jokes with my volleyball girls. Middle schoolers NEVER let things go.
4. My mom writing on my wall on facebook
5. Scooby Doo macaroni and cheese
6. Internet at my actual HOUSE
7. Peppermint javachip frap lite with whip from Starbucks
8. A clean house
9. Food in my cupboard
10. The light from a candle
11. A male middleschool basketball player being amazed at my bball skills.
12. My students talking to me in Spanish
13. Singing at the top of my lungs to country music in harmony with Erin
14. Winning the championship volleyball game
15. iTunes and iPod touch
16. Sleeping in
17. Crayons
18. Inside jokes
19. Hulu.com
20. Pumpkin ice cream
21. The other day I said something about NOT being a history teacher. The teacher whose room I share and who sits in while I'm teaching says to me, No. You ARE a history teacher. You are.
22. When I say something funny in History class and the kids actually laugh instead of rolling their eyes.
23. When I get compliments from my 4th-8th grade students about my hair or my clothes.
24. Making kids feel special



There are so many more things that I could write, but I'm going to stop and let you think of things that make you happy. :-)

Blogspot, what??

Do I even HAVE a blog???

Do I even have any readers anymore???

I wouldn't be surprised if everyone left to go find other stuff to read....it's been THAT long.

The last time I blogged it was our first volleyball victory. As of last Thursday, our season is over. Can you see where my time has been spent?

All this to say, I'm still alive! Kristin thought SHE was behind. Hah! I got her beat! But, really, Em is the one that beats us all :-)

I better get.....I have detention...... :-(

VICTORY!

The first victory of the day was when it only took 7-10 mins to get the net up. Yep. That's it. And it was high enough and it was taut and perfect. Such a weight lifted off of my shoulders!!! I called out HALLELUJAH and Praise THE LORD! when it was right and Eric asked me if I was holding a church service in the gym. I was THAT excited. There is no way to describe the everlasting frustration we have had with this net. This was such a relief!

We won! We won!!! In our first game, the girls were doing well but flubbing up here and there. 2nd game we lost. They got points because we messed up, not because they were that good. The 3rd game was won by an amazing 6th grade server! We were down by 6 and she won the game for us! The girls were so pumped and very proud. We talked about mistakes and I hope/KNOW it'll be better next time. Game 2 on Thursday!

Please pray for me. Tonight I picked up my bible that I left downstairs from our bible study last night and Erin said,

"So, what are you learning/what is God teaching you this week?"
Me: "nothing."
Erin: "because you haven't been in the Word or you have been but you aren't learning anything?"
Me: "Nothing. I'm not in it. All I do is eat, work, volleyball and sleep. That's my life cycle right now."

AGH!!!!!!! I hate it. I hate the life cycle. I hate having to choose sleep or Jesus. I'm not strong enough or disciplined enough to pick Jesus all the time. I need desire and discipline. I need Jesus. Everyday. I know that. I can tell in my life that I need Him. I can also tell that I haven't been in the Word. Everything is easier to do or not do when the rules aren't read. It's easy to not play the game right and claim ignorance. So, if you think of it, pray for me.

I need it.

We've survived

Tomorrow is Friday!!! I should be in bed (well, I am IN bed, but not sleeping, hence the blog) but I'm not tired yet. I've had a full day, from waking up at 5:15 and getting home at 9:30 this evening, but I'm still not mentally ready for bed. So, here I am, catching up on life.

Last Monday was the start of a new school year. I'm FINALLY a 2nd year teacher!!!!!! This is my 4th year teaching and only my first time teaching something again! It's Elementary Spanish and Lower Elementary computer and 8th Grade History--a lot of hats but they are hats that I've worn before so I know their fit. Of course, they aren't molded to my head, but I don't feel like I'm seeing the hat for the first time in the store. I know I like it and it'll be okay.

The first week of school was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO long. You know how it feels the week before Christmas vacation? Well, it was longer than that. I was emotionally and physically drained and just wanted to be back on summer break. I wished I could have gotten on a plane and headed back to California..... my class looks about the same (YAY!! I can actually REUSE bulletinboard sets!!!!!) and my ideas are about the same.

It feels like I can't really get going in my Spanish classes. It feels like we are in 1st gear without the foot on the gas. Next week I'm pushing it along and getting into the meat of stuff. And yes, that means worksheet, worksheet, worksheet! It's hard to assess and show parents what you're learning without them. The horrible cycle.

The volleyball season is going great so far!! We started 2 weeks before school started and I feel so much more confident in the girls this year. We are so much further along in our practices and skills than last year. Again, I actually know what I'm doing this time! Our first game is on Tuesday and the next one is on Thursday-both home. It's great to start off the season at home. We have worked for WEEKS on trying to improve the net situation and have ordered two different nets and still have to use ratchet straps---it's such a mess! But, I think it's finally great. It's the right height and it's taut and ahhhh....wonderful! Right now I'm in the position of picking captains. I had my mind made up but because of recent attitudes, rudeness and selfish actions, I'm really rethinking my decision. It's really going to rock the world of the only 8th grader on the team if she's not chosen captain. We think it might be the best thing for her. It'll be painful and I'll have to deal with a very hurt and mopey 13yr old, but a life lesson isn't always easy. I need to put my emotions aside and just make the decision. The harder part is picking the other girl to replace her. I've been told it's only middle school. It's only middle school. When we look back on life, we think of high school. I lose that perspective because I get lost in the whole thing because I don't limit it. I don't think "well, it's only middle school so we can only hit it back and forth, never 3 hits or we can only reach this far or master these skills". It's VOLLEYBALL. A level isn't attached with it. Last year I didn't expect enough out of them. So I DO need to think through this decision and not take it lightly. Yeah, it's only middle school. BUT, to me-it's the world.

Alright, I'm finally sleepy and think I can get to sleep now. Doing morning extended care and needing to be at school at 6:40 each morning really takes a toll on ya. My body is still in summer mode.

P.S. I'm sleeping with my window open. LOVING IT. :-)

The Summer Adventure of a LIfetime

(Hi Uncle Tim!)

I don't even know where to start! I had to look at the last blog (July 4th...I know!!) and find out where I left off. It was right before my summer adventure began. I have to weed through everything to figure out what you'd actually care to read.

Missions Trip-We had a lot of fun learning and serving and being stretched. Check out our blog to find out more about it!

Trip to Michigan-road trip was a blast with Jessie, Erin and Eric in the car, playing "Brown Truck" and Fed Exing people. We jammed to some music (of course, not country because they wouldn't let me play that). Wendy and Kenton's wedding was amazing. During one of the special musics, Wendy looked around at everyone who was there and took in all the love we wanted her to feel. I'm really glad we went! She was beautiful and he was rockin' the tux. I also got to spend time with Cherise, a dear friend from college.

Indiana- Ohhhhh, Indiana. I went to hang out with Rach and her new little baby. In a matter of the 10 days I was there, she ended up having such bad back/leg pain that we got her a special ride in an ambulance to the ER, where she was then scheduled for back surgery that next day. It was the most trying time of my life so far. I don't think I've ever cried so much. Leona, the 1 month old, was the easy one to take care of. We had friends bringing meals, to watch Rachael and Leona for 2 hours so Ben and I could both take a nap, and Rach's mom came for more help. I was up with Leona for her feedings or I was helping Ben with Rachael, or whatever else needed done. I don't want to do it again but I don't regret being there. Rach was so apologetic about this not being what she had planned, and we were suppose to have fun, etc. I told her that if God hadn't of planned this, I would have gotten myself there anyhow. God really taught me a lot that week. The surgery helped so much (she had a herniated disk) that by the time I left, it was as if the week of Hell didn't even happen. It was like we woke of from a nightmare and things were fine. I WILL be back to Indiana to visit them again, this time, no surgeries!

Camping- I LOVE CAMPING!!!!! It was so fun to just enjoy family and friends and fires. We went tubing MANY times and biked and played frisbee. Ahhhhhh...mazing. I'm going again over Columbus Day weekend! Can't wait!

Moving- I moved! Now I'm 4 minutes from school instead of 20, and am living with Erin! The fam came down to help on a very hot day. It was a lot of work. SO was cleaning the WHOLE dumb townhouse. Ugh. It's so fun to be moved because now we can both be home but be hanging out together! Meal planning and grading are going to be so much more fun---I mean, bearable!

California- Wow. I did it all. As soon as Erin and her fam picked me up from the airport, off we went to In-N-Out burger which was so good! We drove from San Fran to Los Angeles and the stars on the sidewalk, Sunset Blvd, Hollywood Blvd, chasing the Hollywood sign up windey streets for a good picture, posing by Dear Abby's star, Kodak Theatre, Phillipe's French Dipped Sandwiches. Then to San Diego where we played in the Pacific Ocean, explored the San Diego Zoo and went to Seaport Village. We hung out with her grandparents and family a lot, which was really cool. Then the 8 hr drive back up to San Fran (which isn't very pretty. It's all dirt!) where I experienced the Winchester Mystery House, and then drove into the city to see trolley cars, walk on the Golden Gate Bridge and eat a Ghiradelli hot fudge sundae. We ALSO found the house from Full House!!! That was an extra bonus. :-) Erin's family was sooo amazing and giving and so fun!

Are you tired?? I am! It was such an amazing summer. I LOVE being a teacher for 3 reasons- June, July and August. For any teacher to WANT to go back to school, there NEEDS to be that break.

Volleyball has started and I'm so stoked about the season. I lost 9 of my 19 girls to graduation or moving, so it's a rebuilding year. The 5th graders......need work. But, that's why they are there! We've had 3 days of practice and last night we tried to play a game. Well....tried is about all that happened. Serving comes tonight!

Anyone still reading?? Erin and I have a lunch date with Wendy today when we REALLY get to find out about how life is and how the honeymoon was and just enjoy each other. We have to do it before school starts because once Monday comes, there is nothing else happening in our lives but school.

SO, what I'm saying is, it'll be a little bit before another blog comes out. Sorry! Pray for me as we start the school year. I GET TO TEACH SOMETHING THAT I TAUGHT BEFORE!!! This has NEVER HAPPENED in my 4 years of teaching! Elementary Spanish, Lower Elementary computer and 8th grade history.

WOooooooooo...............

Tomorrow...it starts!!!!

My whirlwind road trip starts tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!

Start at Portersville Bible Church at 9AM to load up and leave with PBC teens and adults to caravan down to Manassas, VA. 10 of us are going! We will be blogging about our trip and hope you check out our God moments, our blessings and our hardships. Our group will partner with local churches, service agencies, and homeowners. And over the four days, our help will bolster the efforts of the ongoing work in these communities. We’ll learn new skills, serve in important roles, and have loads of fun as we: help people with projects in their home...assist the elderly…tutor struggling kids…conduct a backyard Bible club…serve at a food bank…staff an activities camp for disabled children…spruce up the grounds of a financially strapped social service agency…engage children at a day camp…and improve the community in other important ways.

July 9th Then I leave the trip early with Heather O. from PBC, and Jessie and Eric (fellow teachers and friends!!!!) and head back to PA to make a pit stop at Grand Central Station (aka my parents' house) and switch bags and head to Ohio to pick up Erin and then up to Michigan we go for Kenwentondy's WEDDING!! It's going to be so great to see them all again and to see people I haven't seen for awhile. It'll be pretty cool to see who else Wendy and Kenton know that I know. AND, I get to see ALLLLL the Rileys. That's a bonus in and of itself! Cherise-I can't wait, girl!

After partying like it's 1999 and a good night's sleep, Cherise, Erin and I are heading over to Chicago to enjoy and explore the windy city! I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!!!! It's Erin's favorite city, so I'm expecting the time of my life!

July 12-23 Down to Indiana to visit Rach and her new little baby Leona!!! I have known about little Leona since Rach took the pregnancy test. It has been such a LONG pregnancy and I have been counting down the days (literally!) until I get to see her again. I hope to help her a ton.

July 23-25 Head back to PA to go camping with the fam and my adopted families :-) the last weekend of July. I heart camping and campfires and smores!!!

July 26-July 31-Then back to VA to pack up and move houses--I'm moving in with ERIN!!! I'm so excited to start this new part of my life, have a new place, live closer to school AND not have to travel home after hanging out with Erin. That's going to be the best part. A sleepover EVERY NIGHT! :-)

(I know, you're getting tired, but it's only up to August 1!)

Aug 1-3 Then to Wellsboro PA to hang out with my very bestest, Cori Ann Herrlin, who is back from China! I miss her SOOOO much and can't wait to just "be" with her. I know there are frosties in our future. She won't believe how much they changed!

August 4th-14 I FLY TO CALIFORNIA!!!!!!!!!! Erin and I are hanging out there with her parents and then driving down to San Diego to celebrate her grandparents 60th anniversary. Then back up to San Francisco, and whatever stops we can make on the way. Hollywood anyone??

August 17th is my first day of volleyball practice for my girls where I will scope out the good ones and find out how my team is going to be this year.


And that's all I'm going to write about. Who wants to talk about school starting???

Please pray for us on our trip!

The Nephew...

I'm sitting here at my brother's computer, listening to the tune about the "one little duck with the feather in his back, he led the others with a quack quack quack" about 30 times. My darling nephew, 5 months old today, is pulling the cord that makes the song go. He's loving life, bouncing in his chair, making the song play. I'm trying to leave him alone to see if any conversation or "babblefest" will start. He's blowing rasberries, cooing, and all other different noises. He's also creating ANOTHER dirty diaper, so I thought I'd let him finish that process. He's on outfit number 3. I hope I don't wait TOO long to catch this one before the yucky mess. Poor guy's been sick for the last couple of days.

I just can't believe how big he is. 5 months and one day ago, he wasn't in our lives. He wasn't part of our stories, our giggles, our days. He was part of our prayers and hopes and wishes and our love. I'm not just babysitting some kid and getting paid for it. I'm watching my nephew. I'm building into his life. I'm singing him songs about Zaccheus being a wee little man, and about animals on Old McDonald's farm. I'm reading him the bible verses that I'm memorizing. I'm making him giggle, and, oops, cry.

I get to watch him tomorrow and Friday, then 3 days next week. :-) I don't know about the rest of the summer. This might be the biggest chunk of time I get with him this summer.

I think that diaper is done being made. Better get back to my little man.

Welcome back Summer!

No more grading, no more books!
No more students' bored looks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summer....it's been way too long.

I've missed you so much!

I hope we have a great time together, driving with the windows down, with our hands out the window in the wind.

The LAST...........

...day of classes.
...computer class.
...Spanish class.
...teacher meeting.
...packed lunch.
...putting of chairs down.
...answering RIDICULOUS questions about EVERYTHING under the sun.

It's the LAST.


WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Kings Dominion tomorrow. Then it's over.