After the whole "not being released to attend SF Selection" fiasco in March, Jon was switched over to another batallion. Tonight I attended my first wives' coffee with the ladies of this new batallion. I must admit -- I was a little bit nervous to meet them. It is always a little bit intimidating to walk alone into a situation where everyone knows one another. However, they were wonderful to me, greeting me with hugs and acting like I'd been one of them all along. We had a fantastic time with good food (fondue -- yum yum!) and great conversation. I was so impressed by these women. They were laughing and joking, not one of them feeling sorry for themselves -- not even the new mom with the 4 wk old baby, or the one expecting her first in just a few weeks.
When I got home, I had an email waiting for me from my FRG leader. She sent me the story below, which brought tears to my eyes.
Families Share R&R Moments
Dear Mr. Babcock, I went to the Colorado Springs Airport today (Sunday) to say goodbye to relatives that had visited me this week. As we were standing in line at the ticket counter, I realized that right in front of us were some Soldiers ready to go back to Iraq after their leave. Although the Soldiers are heroes and impressive in their own right, I would like to acknowledge their wives.
The family directly in front of us in line stood there quietly, the Army spouse smoothing her Soldier's uniform, touching his sleeve, holding his waist, trying to touch him enough to last her the next six or so months. One of her hands was on the stroller which carried their son, who was no more than 14 months or so. Her eyes were red rimmed as if she'd cried all night, but as she stood there, no tears fell. Her Soldier must've kissed her forehead a dozen times. No hysteria, no weeping. Deep, deep sorrow, but so much pride. His duffel bag said 1-8 IN, and they've had a rough time of it the past few weeks. She kept her fear in check as she held the stroller, and held her husband.
The family directly in front of them was a little different. Mom and her three teenaged daughters joked, smiled and laughed with their Soldier. The girls giggled as mom teased her Soldier about the wedding ring he should be wearing in the field and the one he saved for home. The girls just laughed as mom and dad bantered. Mom leaned nonchalantly against the counter when her Soldier's turn came to check in. It was when that Soldier put his duffel bag on the scale, when his attention was on the airline employee, that his wife dropped her guard for a moment. There was such a look of profound sadness on her face that tears came to my eyes. One of her girls went to her and hugged her. She looked down at her child and gave her the most brilliant smile. At the same time, the young wife in front of us looked down at her little boy and gave him a brilliant smile. It was as if no matter how hard, no matter how worried, no matter how lonely, these women would continue to be both mom and dad to their kids, fierce supporters of their Soldier and their units and the quietest heroes in this country.
Bravo to those two wives, and all the military spouses who do the same each and every day. Next month sometime, by the grace of God, my kids and I will wait anxiously at the same airport to greet our Soldier when he comes home on leave. I pray that by his same grace, I will be as heroic as those two women today when it comes his time to leave.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Monday, May 29, 2006
Memorial Day
I know that Memorial Day is a day to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I thought about the Sims family quite a few times today. I have never met them, but am a regular visitor of Heidi's blog. Quite honestly, I don't know what I would do if I got that dreaded knock at my door.
Last night, I watched We Were Soldiers Once. I know it's probably kind of morbid for me to watch movies like that or Blackhawk Down, but I do. In some ways, it makes all of this seem more real. Often, I find myself thinking that Jon is just traveling for work, and I forget that he's in danger every day. Maybe it's some sort of coping mechanism -- I don't know. Anyways, the scene where the wives are notified of their husbands' deaths always gets to me. I admire the strength of the women who were notified, and those who were in fear every day of recieving a notification. I think they do such a great job in that movie of presenting the soldiers as real people, with real families. I love the scene where it's the night before the men are leaving. They show the men getting into bed with their wives, and you can see the fear in all of their eyes, the sorrow, and the dread ... but also the pride and sense of duty. I could completely relate to that. I remember the night before Jon left this deployment and the night before he left for his first deployment. You don't even want to sleep. Think about Christmas Eve -- you know when you wake up, all of your presents will be waiting for you, and you are trying and trying to go to sleep because you are so excited. I would have to say -- this is the exact opposite feeling that you have the night before your soldier leaves. The time goes by too quickly, and the words are never enough to communicate how much you love this man, how much you'll miss him, and how proud you are of him.
As I remembered those that have lost their lives for our country, I also thought a lot about those who are putting their lives on the line as we speak. Right after Jon left for his first deployment, my mom got me a frame to put his picture in with the following poem.
A Prayer For A Soldier
Almightly God, with Your loving care,
Protect this soldier while in the air.
Make swift his wings and sharp his eye
With Your strenght if danger is nigh.
Oh gracious God, by Your mighty hand,
Keep safe this soldier while on the land.
Make steady his feet and calm his heart
With peace and protection you impart.
Faithful God, we trust in Thee.
Hold fast to this soldier while on the sea.
Make safe his passage from shore to shore,
And bring him home again once more.
-- Stacey Randall
I pray every day that God will return my soldier to me without even a scrape or a scratch. Next Monday is the anniversary of our big wedding ceremony. I am so proud to be his wife.
Last night, I watched We Were Soldiers Once. I know it's probably kind of morbid for me to watch movies like that or Blackhawk Down, but I do. In some ways, it makes all of this seem more real. Often, I find myself thinking that Jon is just traveling for work, and I forget that he's in danger every day. Maybe it's some sort of coping mechanism -- I don't know. Anyways, the scene where the wives are notified of their husbands' deaths always gets to me. I admire the strength of the women who were notified, and those who were in fear every day of recieving a notification. I think they do such a great job in that movie of presenting the soldiers as real people, with real families. I love the scene where it's the night before the men are leaving. They show the men getting into bed with their wives, and you can see the fear in all of their eyes, the sorrow, and the dread ... but also the pride and sense of duty. I could completely relate to that. I remember the night before Jon left this deployment and the night before he left for his first deployment. You don't even want to sleep. Think about Christmas Eve -- you know when you wake up, all of your presents will be waiting for you, and you are trying and trying to go to sleep because you are so excited. I would have to say -- this is the exact opposite feeling that you have the night before your soldier leaves. The time goes by too quickly, and the words are never enough to communicate how much you love this man, how much you'll miss him, and how proud you are of him.
As I remembered those that have lost their lives for our country, I also thought a lot about those who are putting their lives on the line as we speak. Right after Jon left for his first deployment, my mom got me a frame to put his picture in with the following poem.
A Prayer For A Soldier
Almightly God, with Your loving care,
Protect this soldier while in the air.
Make swift his wings and sharp his eye
With Your strenght if danger is nigh.
Oh gracious God, by Your mighty hand,
Keep safe this soldier while on the land.
Make steady his feet and calm his heart
With peace and protection you impart.
Faithful God, we trust in Thee.
Hold fast to this soldier while on the sea.
Make safe his passage from shore to shore,
And bring him home again once more.
-- Stacey Randall
I pray every day that God will return my soldier to me without even a scrape or a scratch. Next Monday is the anniversary of our big wedding ceremony. I am so proud to be his wife.
Monday, May 22, 2006
A Few Random Thoughts ...
COUNTDOWN
Yes ... the ticker at the bottom of the page is correct. Sigh .... ONLY 4 MORE DAYS OF SCHOOL!!! Summer is almost officially here! Hooray!
It's amazing how time passes depending on how you look at it. When I think about the last year in terms of school, it has FLOWN by! When I think about the last 6 months that Jon has been gone -- it seems like 6 years!! I don't know if I'm just on a high because school is almost over or if this is just the truth, but I really feel like I've had a great year with my kids. Despite the one pain in the butt in every class, all of my other kids were so sweet and so much fun! It just feels really nice to be ending the year with such a positive feeling. PLUS (I've probably said this already) I get to move up with my kiddos to 8th grade next year. Hopefully they won't change too much over the summer! I'm such a math geek -- I can't wait to teach them Algebra! Anyways, my point is that it just feels good not to be dreading the start of the next school year, but to be excited about it instead.
MY HANDSOME HUBBY
I really can't wait until I can put up a countdown for when Jon comes home. Right now he is not scheduled to come home for any R&R. Instead, he is supposedly coming home sometime around September. He has decided to go ahead attend Special Forces Selection in October, so he should get to come home a little early to train up. I know, I know -- I'm definitely not going to get my hopes up this time.
I remember this time last year Jon was at Ranger School. He was just finishing Phase I and I hadn't heard a peep from him in over 3 weeks. I think communication-wise that Ranger School was even worse than Iraq! I only got like 2 phone calls and 1 postcard from him the entire 2 1/2 months! (And all the postcard said was "SEND FOOD!!") Anyways, I can remember sitting at our district retirement tea on the last day of school when I saw that my phone was vibrating. By the time I picked it up, it had stopped ringing. I knew it was Jon, but he never got a chance to call back. I knew I would have to wait at least another 3 weeks. Any Army wife reading this has probably been through the same thing! It's so heartbreaking!
SUMMER PLANS
After school gets out, I'm sticking around here for another week, and then heading to Michigan to spend the summer with my family! I am so excited! Every time I tell someone my plans, they kind of wrinkle their nose and say something like, "You're spending the WHOLE summer with your parents?" I wish I could communicate to them how much I'm looking forward to sitting around the dinner table with people I love every night! I know I'll probably get bored and a little annoyed at times, but I'm looking forward to a wonderful "un-lonely" summer! I'll give you more details later!
Okay ... so that's all my random thoughts for now. I thought I'd include this cute picture of Jon in Iraq. I love the ones with kids in them!
Who ever knew bunny ears were universal?
Friday, May 19, 2006
The Lioness of Judah
Today at school, a guest speaker came to share her story with all of our eighth grade students. Although I teach seventh grade this year, I got a chance to sneak over during my planning period and listen to a little bit of what she had to say.
The woman's name was Sara Hauptman. She is 87 years old and a survivor of the Holocaust. Her story was amazing. She lived in Belgium when the Nazis began their extermination of the Jews. At the time, she was a young mother and was forced to give her children to other people while she went into hiding. Then, she joined the Belgian Resistance -- making false identity papers, delivering messages to prisoners, helping allied aviators who were shot down over Belgium. The cover for her underground activities was a job as a lion tamer in a circus.
She told us of the night she was arrested, her time in the holding camps in Belgium, the transport to Auschwitz-Birkenau, and what life was like in the concentration camp. It is certainly one thing to read about all of this, but to hear a real survivor tell about their experiences in person is something totally different. It was moving and intense and unbelievable. She says that she can still smell the stench of burning flesh from the gas chambers. She told us how she witnessed the Nazis murdering babies by throwing them in the air and shooting them. She told us how she watched a seven year old girl plead with one of the guards to let her stay with her mother and work. The man said "sure" and then threw a football for her to go and catch. As he was running to catch it, he shot her. The things she told where unbelievable. I had to leave and go back to class before she told how she had been a victim of Dr. Mengele's experiments.
And I think that I have things to complain about? This woman had literally been to hell and back. Her story was unbelievable. I can't even begin to imagine what life was like for those people. I have always been enthralled by stories from World War II. I bought Sara's book, called The Lioness of Judah and I can't wait to read it. I'll let you all know how it is ...
The woman's name was Sara Hauptman. She is 87 years old and a survivor of the Holocaust. Her story was amazing. She lived in Belgium when the Nazis began their extermination of the Jews. At the time, she was a young mother and was forced to give her children to other people while she went into hiding. Then, she joined the Belgian Resistance -- making false identity papers, delivering messages to prisoners, helping allied aviators who were shot down over Belgium. The cover for her underground activities was a job as a lion tamer in a circus.
She told us of the night she was arrested, her time in the holding camps in Belgium, the transport to Auschwitz-Birkenau, and what life was like in the concentration camp. It is certainly one thing to read about all of this, but to hear a real survivor tell about their experiences in person is something totally different. It was moving and intense and unbelievable. She says that she can still smell the stench of burning flesh from the gas chambers. She told us how she witnessed the Nazis murdering babies by throwing them in the air and shooting them. She told us how she watched a seven year old girl plead with one of the guards to let her stay with her mother and work. The man said "sure" and then threw a football for her to go and catch. As he was running to catch it, he shot her. The things she told where unbelievable. I had to leave and go back to class before she told how she had been a victim of Dr. Mengele's experiments.
And I think that I have things to complain about? This woman had literally been to hell and back. Her story was unbelievable. I can't even begin to imagine what life was like for those people. I have always been enthralled by stories from World War II. I bought Sara's book, called The Lioness of Judah and I can't wait to read it. I'll let you all know how it is ...
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Captivating Anne
Right now, I am reading a book by John and Stasi Eldredge, called Captivating. It's a Christian book about "Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul." Today, I was reading a section on what makes a woman truly beautiful. The whole point of the section is that real beauty comes from a heart at rest. There is much more to being beautiful, obviously, than what people see on the outside. The authors talk about two different types of women. The first woman is a woman who is striving -- she is not confident that her beauty will last forever, and is therefore continually striving to make herself more beautiful, more perfect. She stresses if she gains a few pounds or needs her roots highlighted. A woman who is striving makes others around her feel like they also need to strive. The message she sends to others is "Get your act together. Life is uncertain. There is no time for your heart here. Shape up. Get busy. That's what is important."
Sigh ... Unfortunately, I think that's probably me 90% of the time.
The other type of woman is the woman whose heart is at rest. This woman is secure in her self-worth. She feels at home in who she is. The message she sends to others is "You are wanted here. I want to know you. Come in. Share yourself. Be enjoyed. Enjoy me as I share myself."
As I read one particular passage, I couldn't help but think about my good friend, Anne.
She is definitely the latter type of woman. This is the passage:
"A woman of true beauty is a woman who in the depths of her soul is at rest, trusting God because she has come to know him to be worthy of her trust. She exudes a sense of calm, a sense of rest, and invites those around her to rest as well. She speaks comfort; she knows that we live in a world at war, that we have a vicious enemy, and our journey is through a broken world. But she also knows that because of God all is well, that all will be well. A woman of true beauty offers others the grace to be and the room to become. In her presence, we can release the tension and pressure that so often grip our hearts. We can also breathe in the truth that God loves us and he is good."
I hope that someday, I can make others around me feel at rest like Anne does -- she is the master! As women, sometimes I feel like we are under so much pressure to be perfect -- no just in our appearance, but also in the things we do. It totally makes sense, though, that the most beautiful women are the ones who are at rest -- remember the story about Mary and Martha? Who would you rather spend time with?
Sigh ... Unfortunately, I think that's probably me 90% of the time.
The other type of woman is the woman whose heart is at rest. This woman is secure in her self-worth. She feels at home in who she is. The message she sends to others is "You are wanted here. I want to know you. Come in. Share yourself. Be enjoyed. Enjoy me as I share myself."
As I read one particular passage, I couldn't help but think about my good friend, Anne.
She is definitely the latter type of woman. This is the passage:
"A woman of true beauty is a woman who in the depths of her soul is at rest, trusting God because she has come to know him to be worthy of her trust. She exudes a sense of calm, a sense of rest, and invites those around her to rest as well. She speaks comfort; she knows that we live in a world at war, that we have a vicious enemy, and our journey is through a broken world. But she also knows that because of God all is well, that all will be well. A woman of true beauty offers others the grace to be and the room to become. In her presence, we can release the tension and pressure that so often grip our hearts. We can also breathe in the truth that God loves us and he is good."
I hope that someday, I can make others around me feel at rest like Anne does -- she is the master! As women, sometimes I feel like we are under so much pressure to be perfect -- no just in our appearance, but also in the things we do. It totally makes sense, though, that the most beautiful women are the ones who are at rest -- remember the story about Mary and Martha? Who would you rather spend time with?
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Saturday Night
I just got back from my regular Saturday night at the movies. This week, I went to see Mission Impossible III. This is totally uncharacteristic of my usual movie choice. I always pick romantic comedies or basically anything other than action or horror. But, I was up for a little change. The movie actually ended up being pretty good. I was on the edge of my seat most of the time.
I used to be a little timid about going to the movies all by myself. It's kind of grown on me, though. You can pick any movie that you want to see. Plus, you don't have to share your popcorn! The only thing is that I feel like I have to make excuses for why I'm alone -- not with my husband or a friend. For example, tonight I saw a coworker as I was walking out of the theater. I totally found myself coming up with things to say in case he asked me if I was here by myself. I know most people usually wouldn't be caught dead somewhere like that by themselves. But I'm not about to just sit home because I don't have a date for the movies!
Anyways ...
One thing I find myself doing all the time since Jon has been gone is thinking about what we would be doing if he was here. It's like a little game we play. We write emails back and forth reminding each other what life would be like if he was here. In all reality, things would be pretty unspectacular, but wonderfully normal. Tonight, for instance, we still would have gone to see MI: III. Jon would have bought our tickets, and I would have bought our treats. Jon would ask for a small popcorn and pop, raise his eyebrows when I ordered a medium for myself, and then complain about how tiny the smalls are. (I guess he usually forgets this fact between Saturday evenings!) Then we would sit down and comment to each other about the previews -- decide which were "Netflix," and which ones we were going to be "SO THERE" for. Jon would then tease me about my high school crush on Tom Cruise, and I would act like I still kind of like him -- you know, just to get him riled up a little. :) At the end of the movie, he would look over to see if I was crying (I usually am), and tease me a little more. Once we got home, we would pick out one of our Netflix, get in our PJs, and cozy up on the couch. Jon would watch the entire thing, and I would be asleep 15 minutes into it.
See ... pretty boring and uneventful. But what I would give to have just had that night. I concluded this week that I'm not really lonely -- I just miss my husband.
Hmmm... almost half way there.
I used to be a little timid about going to the movies all by myself. It's kind of grown on me, though. You can pick any movie that you want to see. Plus, you don't have to share your popcorn! The only thing is that I feel like I have to make excuses for why I'm alone -- not with my husband or a friend. For example, tonight I saw a coworker as I was walking out of the theater. I totally found myself coming up with things to say in case he asked me if I was here by myself. I know most people usually wouldn't be caught dead somewhere like that by themselves. But I'm not about to just sit home because I don't have a date for the movies!
Anyways ...
One thing I find myself doing all the time since Jon has been gone is thinking about what we would be doing if he was here. It's like a little game we play. We write emails back and forth reminding each other what life would be like if he was here. In all reality, things would be pretty unspectacular, but wonderfully normal. Tonight, for instance, we still would have gone to see MI: III. Jon would have bought our tickets, and I would have bought our treats. Jon would ask for a small popcorn and pop, raise his eyebrows when I ordered a medium for myself, and then complain about how tiny the smalls are. (I guess he usually forgets this fact between Saturday evenings!) Then we would sit down and comment to each other about the previews -- decide which were "Netflix," and which ones we were going to be "SO THERE" for. Jon would then tease me about my high school crush on Tom Cruise, and I would act like I still kind of like him -- you know, just to get him riled up a little. :) At the end of the movie, he would look over to see if I was crying (I usually am), and tease me a little more. Once we got home, we would pick out one of our Netflix, get in our PJs, and cozy up on the couch. Jon would watch the entire thing, and I would be asleep 15 minutes into it.
See ... pretty boring and uneventful. But what I would give to have just had that night. I concluded this week that I'm not really lonely -- I just miss my husband.
Hmmm... almost half way there.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
A Little Angel
I got an email today from Jon with the cutest little story in it:
"I was out the other day at a tribal leader's house and his little boy just came up to me out of the blue ... FOR NO REASON AT ALL!. He was like two years old and a real little fella -- he couldn't even talk. He grabbed for me, so I bent down and he wrapped two arms around my neck and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Then he just walked away ..."
I told my aunt this story today and she was certain this little boy must have been an angel. So I started to think about it. You know how everyone has their own love language? Mine is "words of affirmation" and "quality time." Jon's, on the other hand, is touch. I have a feeling that for the past 5 1/2 months he hasn't felt very loved -- I'm pretty sure all those soldiers over there aren't comforting each other with hugs! I wonder what possessed this sweet little boy to come up to my husband, who I'm sure seemed pretty intimidating with his big shoulders and all dressed in his ACUs (although he does have a really friendly smile!). I'm convinced that God sent this little one to Jon so that he could feel just a hint of how much we are all loving him here at home! It's very cool to think that we sent him a real life hug with all of our prayers!
"I was out the other day at a tribal leader's house and his little boy just came up to me out of the blue ... FOR NO REASON AT ALL!. He was like two years old and a real little fella -- he couldn't even talk. He grabbed for me, so I bent down and he wrapped two arms around my neck and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Then he just walked away ..."
I told my aunt this story today and she was certain this little boy must have been an angel. So I started to think about it. You know how everyone has their own love language? Mine is "words of affirmation" and "quality time." Jon's, on the other hand, is touch. I have a feeling that for the past 5 1/2 months he hasn't felt very loved -- I'm pretty sure all those soldiers over there aren't comforting each other with hugs! I wonder what possessed this sweet little boy to come up to my husband, who I'm sure seemed pretty intimidating with his big shoulders and all dressed in his ACUs (although he does have a really friendly smile!). I'm convinced that God sent this little one to Jon so that he could feel just a hint of how much we are all loving him here at home! It's very cool to think that we sent him a real life hug with all of our prayers!
Monday, May 08, 2006
The Stair-Stepper from Hell
I could either go to the gym right now or write another blog. I am totally avoiding actually working out today, so how about if I combine the two and just write about working out? It will still burn calories, right? (yeah -- wouldn't that be a perfect world!)
Yesterday I really did have the desire to get moving. So I woke up early before church, packed Jon's camelback, and headed for a hike in Manitou Springs. Now, I'm not stupid enough to actually venture out on the trails all by myself (I'm totally scared of bears and mountain lions and basically any kind of little critter). But there is one trail in Manitou that ALWAYS has tons of people on it. A long time ago, there used to be a railroad that took people up to Pike's Peak. Since, then, a newer, more advanced railroad -- "The Cog" -- has been built. However, the railroad ties from the old route are still in place, and it is a favorite place for Coloradans (and visitors who are willing to brave the altitude) to test their character and endurance. It is known as the Manitou Incline (aka -- The Stair-Stepper from Hell).
The "Incline" doesn't reach all the way up to Pikes Peak anymore. It does go up about a mile, though. And although the hike up is TORTUROUS, the way down is heavenly -- a 4 mile hike down a series of switchbacks with unbelievable scenery. Anyway -- back to the actual incline. Yesterday I decided it was time for my first hike up the incline this year. I have to say -- I have been avoiding it for a few weeks now. I actually got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I was driving there. But 47 minutes after I took my first step, I was so proud of myself for reaching the top, and felt such a sense of accomplishment -- it was all worth it. After that, I listened to praise music the whole way down and just enjoyed all of the beauty that God surrounded us with here in the Springs. I can't wait to go again next weekend.
Here is a picture that Jon took a few summers ago. I am the blond girl who looks like she's about to die. The picture only shows about the last 1/4 of the incline. It is a LONG way up!
Yesterday I really did have the desire to get moving. So I woke up early before church, packed Jon's camelback, and headed for a hike in Manitou Springs. Now, I'm not stupid enough to actually venture out on the trails all by myself (I'm totally scared of bears and mountain lions and basically any kind of little critter). But there is one trail in Manitou that ALWAYS has tons of people on it. A long time ago, there used to be a railroad that took people up to Pike's Peak. Since, then, a newer, more advanced railroad -- "The Cog" -- has been built. However, the railroad ties from the old route are still in place, and it is a favorite place for Coloradans (and visitors who are willing to brave the altitude) to test their character and endurance. It is known as the Manitou Incline (aka -- The Stair-Stepper from Hell).
The "Incline" doesn't reach all the way up to Pikes Peak anymore. It does go up about a mile, though. And although the hike up is TORTUROUS, the way down is heavenly -- a 4 mile hike down a series of switchbacks with unbelievable scenery. Anyway -- back to the actual incline. Yesterday I decided it was time for my first hike up the incline this year. I have to say -- I have been avoiding it for a few weeks now. I actually got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as I was driving there. But 47 minutes after I took my first step, I was so proud of myself for reaching the top, and felt such a sense of accomplishment -- it was all worth it. After that, I listened to praise music the whole way down and just enjoyed all of the beauty that God surrounded us with here in the Springs. I can't wait to go again next weekend.
Here is a picture that Jon took a few summers ago. I am the blond girl who looks like she's about to die. The picture only shows about the last 1/4 of the incline. It is a LONG way up!
Parents -- UGH!
Teaching would be so easy if it wasn't for PARENTS.
After returning from a workshop today, I got on the computer to check my school email - just making sure I didn't miss anything major today. Most of them were same-old, everyday "who wants to work in the dunk-tank at the carnival on the last day of school," "it's time for the budget committee to meet," "band concert tomorrow night, " yadda yadda yadda. Until I get to the last one -- a parent basically informing me that I have failed her son as a teacher this year. WHAAAAAT???
I'm honestly crushed. I don't even know how to respond to this. It seems that this parent has waited until the last three weeks of school to tell me how much of a disservice my teaching has been to her child, how I personally have failed their family -- basically pinning any responsibility for her son's struggles this year on me. In my 3 years of teaching, I have NEVER had a parent complaint that I can remember. My classroom is very structured, my expectations for my students are very high, and I think I do a pretty good job of holding kids accountable. I don't even want to call or email her back, because I'm afraid what I have to say could get me fired! And the sad thing is -- I really like her son. UGH! I guess I need to just wipe my tears, stop taking it personally, and just let the whole thing go.
Or, I could refer her to the parent hotline ...
SCHOOL ANSWERING MACHINE
"Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting the right staff member, please listen to all your options before making a selection:
"To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
"To make excuses for why your child did not do his work- Press 2
"To complain about what we do - Press 3
"To swear at staff members - Press 4
"To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5
"If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
"If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7
"To request another teacher for the third time this year- Press 8
"To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
"To complain about school lunches - Press 0
"If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework, and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!"
After returning from a workshop today, I got on the computer to check my school email - just making sure I didn't miss anything major today. Most of them were same-old, everyday "who wants to work in the dunk-tank at the carnival on the last day of school," "it's time for the budget committee to meet," "band concert tomorrow night, " yadda yadda yadda. Until I get to the last one -- a parent basically informing me that I have failed her son as a teacher this year. WHAAAAAT???
I'm honestly crushed. I don't even know how to respond to this. It seems that this parent has waited until the last three weeks of school to tell me how much of a disservice my teaching has been to her child, how I personally have failed their family -- basically pinning any responsibility for her son's struggles this year on me. In my 3 years of teaching, I have NEVER had a parent complaint that I can remember. My classroom is very structured, my expectations for my students are very high, and I think I do a pretty good job of holding kids accountable. I don't even want to call or email her back, because I'm afraid what I have to say could get me fired! And the sad thing is -- I really like her son. UGH! I guess I need to just wipe my tears, stop taking it personally, and just let the whole thing go.
Or, I could refer her to the parent hotline ...
SCHOOL ANSWERING MACHINE
"Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting the right staff member, please listen to all your options before making a selection:
"To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
"To make excuses for why your child did not do his work- Press 2
"To complain about what we do - Press 3
"To swear at staff members - Press 4
"To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5
"If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
"If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7
"To request another teacher for the third time this year- Press 8
"To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
"To complain about school lunches - Press 0
"If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework, and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!"
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
The Best Yet ...
I have to say -- last night may have been the best girl's night yet with our little "Poker Night" group. Instead of having our normal dinner and poker playing, we took the party to Memorial Hospital, where we inducted our newest member, Lisa's precious new daughter, Taylor. We brought pizza and some other goodies, and snuck in a few bottles of wine and celebrated Little Miss Taylor's arrival.
Honey, if you're reading this -- I want one!!
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Book Review: "The Devil Wears Prada"
I know this is a little much -- three posts in one day -- but what the heck! I have gotten a lot of comments about my book list. So I wanted to share a little bit about the book I just finished. My friend, Annie, lent me her copy of "The Devil Wears Prada" and I just finished it yesterday. I have to say, I'm not usually one for light-hearted, somewhat silly fiction. But I LOVED this book! It was so enjoyable to sit back and listen to the main character, Andrea, rant and rave about her job and lunatic boss. It was funny and witty, and I didn't want it to end! I can't wait to see the movie this summer!
My Yoga Craze
At the end of January, my best friend and roomate from college, Ally, came to visit me. She looked AWESOME, and when I asked what she had been doing, she said yoga. Of course, as soon as she went upstairs to take a shower, I was on the internet looking for a yoga studio in my area. A week later, I was at a nearby studio, taking my first class, and LOVING it!! Jon bought me a membership for my birthday, and I have been going 4-5 times a week ever since. I keep telling him -- it's the best present he's ever gotten me!
I know this sounds completely cliche', but yoga has totally changed my life. I am stronger, more toned, more focused, more flexible (I couldn't even touch my toes prior to this!), and MUCH less stressed than I've ever been before! After years of lifting weights (even working with some fantastic trainers in college) I have decided that I will never lift again as long as I can do yoga. I have always had lots of muscle mass on my body, but my muscles were never very defined. Now I am doing something I actually enjoy, and I'm seeing results -- like you can actually see my arm muscles -- I love it! Not that I look perfect, of course, but it's so exciting when you notice a difference from where you started!
In all honesty, I had taken yoga classes before and didn't like them. I thought they were boring and just too challenging for people like me who aren't naturally very flexible. Little did I know that there were other types of yoga out there besides the popular hatha yoga. Now I practice power yoga. We practice in a heated room (@ 95 degrees) and do lots of core work, balancing, arm balances, and inversions -- like headstands, forearm stands, and handstands. It is a great workout and completely fun! The best part is when you accomplish something that you never thought you would be able to do.
Right now, I'm trying to master the forearm stand, and firefly. Of course, my instructors make both look so easy, but I have a feeling it might take a while yet before I can do them:
I know this sounds completely cliche', but yoga has totally changed my life. I am stronger, more toned, more focused, more flexible (I couldn't even touch my toes prior to this!), and MUCH less stressed than I've ever been before! After years of lifting weights (even working with some fantastic trainers in college) I have decided that I will never lift again as long as I can do yoga. I have always had lots of muscle mass on my body, but my muscles were never very defined. Now I am doing something I actually enjoy, and I'm seeing results -- like you can actually see my arm muscles -- I love it! Not that I look perfect, of course, but it's so exciting when you notice a difference from where you started!
In all honesty, I had taken yoga classes before and didn't like them. I thought they were boring and just too challenging for people like me who aren't naturally very flexible. Little did I know that there were other types of yoga out there besides the popular hatha yoga. Now I practice power yoga. We practice in a heated room (@ 95 degrees) and do lots of core work, balancing, arm balances, and inversions -- like headstands, forearm stands, and handstands. It is a great workout and completely fun! The best part is when you accomplish something that you never thought you would be able to do.
Right now, I'm trying to master the forearm stand, and firefly. Of course, my instructors make both look so easy, but I have a feeling it might take a while yet before I can do them:
forearm stand
firefly
Today, I went to my first Hot Yoga class. (I know, like 95 degrees isn't hot enough!!) This is also known as Bikram Yoga, and the studio is heated to around 105 degrees. This type of yoga presented lots of new challenges -- like overcoming the feeling that I was going to pass out from being so hot!! :) I didn't like it as much as power yoga, but I think I'll try it a few more times just to mix things up a bit.
So anyways, this may all sound a bit boring to you, but it has been a passion of mine for the past three months. I really feel like it has been the positive thing in my life while Jon has been away. I look forward to class every day, and it keeps me busy so that I'm not spending every evening alone in an empty house. I would totally recommend this to anyone who is bored or burnt out with their workout routines and looking for a change. I have to warn you, though. Once you try it, you'll be hooked!
You've GOT to be kidding me ...
Who is this woman and WHAT is she thinking?? Have you ever wondered how someone can be so backward in their reasoning? This lady and her little "church" all belong in a nuthouse. Take a look ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G470rfJQCI&search=Shirley%20Roper
This might sound completely undemocratic of me, but why in the HELL are people allowed to protest at the funerals of soldiers anyways? 500ft away? How about 500 MILES away! I think it's completely and totally sick that people have such little respect for the families of our fallen soldiers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G470rfJQCI&search=Shirley%20Roper
This might sound completely undemocratic of me, but why in the HELL are people allowed to protest at the funerals of soldiers anyways? 500ft away? How about 500 MILES away! I think it's completely and totally sick that people have such little respect for the families of our fallen soldiers.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Thanks USA -- It's a Small World
Some of my favorite emails to read each day are the comments I get from my blog. I just find it so amazing that people actually read this thing and sometimes have something to say about it! Anyways, yesterday I got a comment from a man named Mike Hacker. The comment was to provide information about a great opportunity for military families from an organization called Thanks USA. This organization is offering 1000 scholarships of $5000 to the children and spouses of active duty members of the armed forces. How Cool! Wish I would have known that when I was still paying for my master's degree last year!
Anyways, the wierdest thing is that my family is very good friends with a Mike Hacker and I'm wondering if this is the same one? I have given my blog address out to lots of people, but I don't think my mom or dad would think to send it to the Hacker family. Is it possible that he just found it by surfing the web? If so, I think that's so great! It is such a small world! And Mr. Hacker, if you're reading this, I just want you to know that I would be HONORED to add a Thanks USA link to my list of websites. I will also be sure to pass this information on to my FRG and the school district that I work in.
Anyways, the wierdest thing is that my family is very good friends with a Mike Hacker and I'm wondering if this is the same one? I have given my blog address out to lots of people, but I don't think my mom or dad would think to send it to the Hacker family. Is it possible that he just found it by surfing the web? If so, I think that's so great! It is such a small world! And Mr. Hacker, if you're reading this, I just want you to know that I would be HONORED to add a Thanks USA link to my list of websites. I will also be sure to pass this information on to my FRG and the school district that I work in.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
TomKat and Their Kitten
So I read today in the paper that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had their baby yesterday (named "Suri"??). And I can't seem to get it out of my mind. I know it is none of my business and I must have a pretty boring life to speculate about celebrities (I literally read People magazine cover to cover while sitting in my car as soon as I retrieve it from my mailbox each week. I know -- sad!) But anyway, more than anything, I've been wondering about Tom's other children, Connor and Isabella, whom he adopted with ex-wife Nicole Kidman. I mean seriously, what would it be like if Tom Cruise was your father, and Nicole Kidman was your mother? And who do they live with anyway? Tom or Nicole? You never hear or see anything about either of them. And every time you see Nicole, she is running around with Keith Urban, looking totally unattached to any children. Hmmmm...... I watched Primetime last weekend where Tom was being interviewed by Diane Sawyer. He sounded so genuinely excited for this baby to come. But really, how much time do you think he'll spend with it when all is said and done? Just random thoughts, of course, but the whole thing totally got me wondering ....
And for something completely ironic -- Brooke Shield's baby was born yesterday also. Wierd!
And for something completely ironic -- Brooke Shield's baby was born yesterday also. Wierd!
Saturday, April 15, 2006
My Poker Girls
So tonight was the first weekend night in a while that I've actually had something fun to do. My friend, L, from Poker night had free tickets to the opening of a new Art Museum in Colorado Springs. The exhibit on display was centered around American music with photographs by Annie Leibovitz of famous musicians. It was very cool and the atmosphere was a little bit "Sex in the City." After walking through the exhibit, we were led into a bar area where we were served wine (for free!) and got to listen to a live jazz/blues band. I was so glad that I went. Most of our poker night group was there and we were all able to meet up for dinner beforehand. It was the perfect evening.
While we were at the Art Museum, I was talking to a friend's husbands about different places that we would consider moving if we decide to leave the Army next year. He asked me if I was okay with that -- would I be willing to leave a job that I really like? I answered yes, because I guess I always knew our stay here would be temporary. It is funny how you move to a place and have a certain mindset about it. When I moved here, I always knew that it wouldn't be forever, and so I think I've gone into everything a little bit hesitant -- my job, my friendships, getting involved in the community. My "poker night" girlfriends have always been wonderful, but I guess I always thought somehow they would be "temporary" friends, just like my house was temporary, my job is temporary, etc. But lately, I've come to realize that I really love these women. They are much more than just the girls I see once a week.
We started getting together in October of 2003 to watch "The Bachelor" every week. A different person would host each week and make a scruptious dinner for everyone. Then, we would watch the newest epsode together -- we called it our "Bachelorette Night." We made a game out of it and started voting on which girls we thought the bachelor would keep. We all brought small gifts -- like a bottle of nail polish, last week's People magazine, or a Starbuck's gift card. The person who guessed the most women correctly received all of the gifts at the end. It always helped to make things exciting! After several seasons of "The Bachelor" we just couldn't take it anymore. (It was starting to get a little bit cheesy!) So we decided to play poker instead -- Texas Hold 'Em. We still bring our little gifts and play for those instead of money. And we're totally noncompetitive -- clapping and cheering whenever someone wins a hand. Right now Tuesday nights are the best night of the week for me.
These women have supported and encouraged me through so much -- a new marraige, 2 deployments, my first years teaching, all of the times I feel "fat," -- basically anything that is going on in my life. I am so thankful for their friendships and hope that we all can keep in touch long after my time in Colorado Springs comes to an end. Who would have ever thought the Lord would bless me so much through poker?
While we were at the Art Museum, I was talking to a friend's husbands about different places that we would consider moving if we decide to leave the Army next year. He asked me if I was okay with that -- would I be willing to leave a job that I really like? I answered yes, because I guess I always knew our stay here would be temporary. It is funny how you move to a place and have a certain mindset about it. When I moved here, I always knew that it wouldn't be forever, and so I think I've gone into everything a little bit hesitant -- my job, my friendships, getting involved in the community. My "poker night" girlfriends have always been wonderful, but I guess I always thought somehow they would be "temporary" friends, just like my house was temporary, my job is temporary, etc. But lately, I've come to realize that I really love these women. They are much more than just the girls I see once a week.
We started getting together in October of 2003 to watch "The Bachelor" every week. A different person would host each week and make a scruptious dinner for everyone. Then, we would watch the newest epsode together -- we called it our "Bachelorette Night." We made a game out of it and started voting on which girls we thought the bachelor would keep. We all brought small gifts -- like a bottle of nail polish, last week's People magazine, or a Starbuck's gift card. The person who guessed the most women correctly received all of the gifts at the end. It always helped to make things exciting! After several seasons of "The Bachelor" we just couldn't take it anymore. (It was starting to get a little bit cheesy!) So we decided to play poker instead -- Texas Hold 'Em. We still bring our little gifts and play for those instead of money. And we're totally noncompetitive -- clapping and cheering whenever someone wins a hand. Right now Tuesday nights are the best night of the week for me.
These women have supported and encouraged me through so much -- a new marraige, 2 deployments, my first years teaching, all of the times I feel "fat," -- basically anything that is going on in my life. I am so thankful for their friendships and hope that we all can keep in touch long after my time in Colorado Springs comes to an end. Who would have ever thought the Lord would bless me so much through poker?
Thursday, April 13, 2006
The ABC's of Me
I saw this on Itzy Bitzy Me's Blog and had to do it. I love these things.
A is for your age: 26
B is for the book you're currently reading: The Devil Wears Prada
C is for career: Teacher
D is for your future dog: A Jack Russell named "Ace" (We totally need a yard first!)
E is for essential items to bring to a party: Wine
F is for your favorite song at the moment: "Held" by Natalie Grant
G is for your favorite game: Mancala
H is for your favorite holiday: Christmas
I is for the instrument you play: Piano and Flute
J is for jam or jelly you like: Radtke Farms Strawberry Peach Jam from home
K is for kids: Can't wait to have 'em
L is for last movie you watched: Far and Away
M is for your major in college: Elementary Education
N is for the name of your first crush: Pat Williams in 3rd Grade
O is for overnight hospital stays: Hopefully my first won't be until I have babies!
P is for phobias: I am always scared that someone is going to break into my house while I'm sleeping.
Q is for quote you like: Isaiah 40:31 "For those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint."
R is for the relationship you've had that's lasted the longest: My Handsome Husband -- almost 10 years!
S is for how you found out Santa wasn't real: I started to recognize my mom's handwriting on the gift tags.
T is for tasty desserts: Dump Cake or No-Bake Cookies
U is for underwear: I'm totally not saying -- what if one of my students read this?
V is for vegetables you love: corn on the cob grown on the farm down the street from where I grew up.
W is for weekend plans: Dinner and a photography exhibit at the Art Museum on Sat, and an Easter cookout on Sun
X is for x-rays you've had: my wrist in middle school
Y is for year you graduated from high school: 1998
Z is for Zodiac sign: Aquarius
A is for your age: 26
B is for the book you're currently reading: The Devil Wears Prada
C is for career: Teacher
D is for your future dog: A Jack Russell named "Ace" (We totally need a yard first!)
E is for essential items to bring to a party: Wine
F is for your favorite song at the moment: "Held" by Natalie Grant
G is for your favorite game: Mancala
H is for your favorite holiday: Christmas
I is for the instrument you play: Piano and Flute
J is for jam or jelly you like: Radtke Farms Strawberry Peach Jam from home
K is for kids: Can't wait to have 'em
L is for last movie you watched: Far and Away
M is for your major in college: Elementary Education
N is for the name of your first crush: Pat Williams in 3rd Grade
O is for overnight hospital stays: Hopefully my first won't be until I have babies!
P is for phobias: I am always scared that someone is going to break into my house while I'm sleeping.
Q is for quote you like: Isaiah 40:31 "For those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint."
R is for the relationship you've had that's lasted the longest: My Handsome Husband -- almost 10 years!
S is for how you found out Santa wasn't real: I started to recognize my mom's handwriting on the gift tags.
T is for tasty desserts: Dump Cake or No-Bake Cookies
U is for underwear: I'm totally not saying -- what if one of my students read this?
V is for vegetables you love: corn on the cob grown on the farm down the street from where I grew up.
W is for weekend plans: Dinner and a photography exhibit at the Art Museum on Sat, and an Easter cookout on Sun
X is for x-rays you've had: my wrist in middle school
Y is for year you graduated from high school: 1998
Z is for Zodiac sign: Aquarius
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Movies
I spent lots of time this past weekend watching movies -- one of my favorite things to do. I started on Friday night by putting on comfy clothes, fuzzy slippers, and relaxing on the couch underneath my heating blanket. I had an itch to watch Pearl Harbor, which is always so great! I always fast forward through the war stuff and just watch the love story part. I never can decide who I want Evelyn to end up with -- Ben Affleck or Josh Hartnett -- they are both so dreamy in that movie!
Last weekend, I rented Love Comes Softly from the video store. I totally loved it. I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie (my friend, Ally, is ALWAYS teasing me about this.) The Love Comes Sofly trilogy is very similar to this. It's about a woman whose husband dies just after they leave the wagon train and claim their land. Since it's close to winter, and no wagon trains will be leaving to take her back East, a Christian widower offers her a marraige of convenience -- to live with him until Spring and take care of his daughter. I don't want to write anything else about it, just in case anyone wants to watch it. But I really really enjoyed it -- it was just a good, wholesome, feel-good movie. My husband probably wouldn't have liked it one bit -- which is really the only good thing about him being gone -- I can watch as many chick flicks as my heart desires! Anyway, Love Comes Softly is a trilogy. I rented the last two parts of the trilogy this weekend -- Love's Enduring Promise and Love's Long Journey. Both were good, but not as great as the first.
On Saturday, I watched Supersize Me. I'm still not sure how I feel about this movie. Obviously, it was gross watching this guy eat McDonald's three times a day, knowing that his health was deteriorating so quickly. However, I have talked to some people that say they will never again eat fast food after watching that movie. I don't think I'm going to give up fast food for the rest of my life, but it definitely reaffirms my decision to stop at Panera instead of McDonald's after church on Sundays. Do I think that fast food is killing our nation by causing obesity ? -- not really. People choose what kind of restaurants they want to eat at along with how much they'll eat. A person who stops by a fast food restaurant once every week or so is not going to get fat just because of that one meal.
On the other hand -- there was a large segment of the movie that talked about school lunches. This part I totally agreed with! Working in a middle school, I see what my kids eat and it is TOTAL JUNK!! When I was in school, we could pick one of two regular menu choices, or salad bar -- that's it! Nowadays, my students can choose from two regular menu choices, salad, a deli sandwich, fries, burgers, pizza, breadsticks, chips, ice cream bars, sugary drinks -- it is mostly CRAP!! Almost every student in there eats cheese breadsticks and a candy bar for their lunch everyday. Yikes!
On Saturday night, I went to the movies to see Take the Lead. I hadn't been dying to see this or anything, I just wanted to get out of the house (and also have some of that fantastic movie popcorn). I was pleasantly surprised. It is the one with Antonio Banderas teaching kids balroom dancing during their detention. It was pretty entertaining and the crowd was really into it. I was glad that I went to see it.
So despite all the fun I had watching all these movies, I feel like it was a totally unproductive weekend! So next weekend, I've got to have some sort of project to keep me busy and make me feel like I actually accomplished something. I'm thinking of possibly starting my first quilt -- but I'm a little intimidated. I'll let you know what I decide ...
Last weekend, I rented Love Comes Softly from the video store. I totally loved it. I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie (my friend, Ally, is ALWAYS teasing me about this.) The Love Comes Sofly trilogy is very similar to this. It's about a woman whose husband dies just after they leave the wagon train and claim their land. Since it's close to winter, and no wagon trains will be leaving to take her back East, a Christian widower offers her a marraige of convenience -- to live with him until Spring and take care of his daughter. I don't want to write anything else about it, just in case anyone wants to watch it. But I really really enjoyed it -- it was just a good, wholesome, feel-good movie. My husband probably wouldn't have liked it one bit -- which is really the only good thing about him being gone -- I can watch as many chick flicks as my heart desires! Anyway, Love Comes Softly is a trilogy. I rented the last two parts of the trilogy this weekend -- Love's Enduring Promise and Love's Long Journey. Both were good, but not as great as the first.
On Saturday, I watched Supersize Me. I'm still not sure how I feel about this movie. Obviously, it was gross watching this guy eat McDonald's three times a day, knowing that his health was deteriorating so quickly. However, I have talked to some people that say they will never again eat fast food after watching that movie. I don't think I'm going to give up fast food for the rest of my life, but it definitely reaffirms my decision to stop at Panera instead of McDonald's after church on Sundays. Do I think that fast food is killing our nation by causing obesity ? -- not really. People choose what kind of restaurants they want to eat at along with how much they'll eat. A person who stops by a fast food restaurant once every week or so is not going to get fat just because of that one meal.
On the other hand -- there was a large segment of the movie that talked about school lunches. This part I totally agreed with! Working in a middle school, I see what my kids eat and it is TOTAL JUNK!! When I was in school, we could pick one of two regular menu choices, or salad bar -- that's it! Nowadays, my students can choose from two regular menu choices, salad, a deli sandwich, fries, burgers, pizza, breadsticks, chips, ice cream bars, sugary drinks -- it is mostly CRAP!! Almost every student in there eats cheese breadsticks and a candy bar for their lunch everyday. Yikes!
On Saturday night, I went to the movies to see Take the Lead. I hadn't been dying to see this or anything, I just wanted to get out of the house (and also have some of that fantastic movie popcorn). I was pleasantly surprised. It is the one with Antonio Banderas teaching kids balroom dancing during their detention. It was pretty entertaining and the crowd was really into it. I was glad that I went to see it.
So despite all the fun I had watching all these movies, I feel like it was a totally unproductive weekend! So next weekend, I've got to have some sort of project to keep me busy and make me feel like I actually accomplished something. I'm thinking of possibly starting my first quilt -- but I'm a little intimidated. I'll let you know what I decide ...
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Spring Break
Isn't it amazing how God plans things? The day after receiving the bad news about Jon's orders, I was leaving to fly home to Michigan for Spring Break. He must have known that I would need a little cheering up!
I had been looking forward to Spring Break for a loooong time! As great as it would have been to go somewhere warm, like Mexico or Florida, going home to chilly Michigan was perfect for me! My little, sister, Lauren, flew in the same day as me and my dad picked us up from the airport. This blog will be way too long if I expand on every thing I did. So here are some of the highlights from my trip:
I had been looking forward to Spring Break for a loooong time! As great as it would have been to go somewhere warm, like Mexico or Florida, going home to chilly Michigan was perfect for me! My little, sister, Lauren, flew in the same day as me and my dad picked us up from the airport. This blog will be way too long if I expand on every thing I did. So here are some of the highlights from my trip:
- Watching March Madness and talking a little trash to my 17 year old brother, Eric (See picture below).
- Going shopping at the outlet mall in Michigan City with my mom, my sister, and my mother-in-law.
- Going to church with my family.
- Spending time with my grandparents and my aunts in South Bend.
- Trying to teach my sister yoga in our living room.
- Going out to a fancy restaurant with my in-laws (they always spoil me rotten!)
- Getting to see my friend, Bethany, and her very very cute little boy, "Mr. G"! Bethany was one of my VERY good friends at Fort Carson before they moved. (See picture below)
- Shopping with my mom and sister.
- Going to "The Second City" with my family right before we left. It's an improv club in Chicago -- VERY funny!
- Getting a "Makeover" with my sister. (a.k.a. highlights) (See Before and After shots below).
Here are some photos:
This is a typical shot of my little brother, who usually wants nothing to do with his annoying sisters.
Eric and Lauren
Me and "Mr. G"
THE MAKEOVER
BEFORE: Lauren and I looking pretty ragged.
AFTER: Happy and blonde again!
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