Don't be Misled By My Blog ...

Just FYI ... I do have a life outside of watching television! :)

24

Early last week, my mom and I were bored and looking for a new movie to watch. We ended up borrowing the first season of 24 from a friend. I just have to say ... it's completely addicting! I loved it! If you are looking for a good show that you and your spouse can both enjoy, give it a try! I can't wait to start season 2, although it is severely cutting into my reading time! :)

Pick on Someone Your Own Size!

Last night, I watched America Has Talent for the first time. It is a new show, much like American Idol, which has several different individuals/groups competing in a "talent show" where the winner receives a million dollars. Although I thought some of the acts were pretty good, I was appalled when a woman got on stage dressed as Snow White and then proceded to STRIP down to a sequined bra and teeeeensy weeeeensy panties. I guess her talent was exotic dancing? Come on! There are KIDS watching this show! Of course, since the judging panel consisted of two men and only one woman, Miss Snow White was advanced to the next round. And that's not even the worst part. At the end of the show, they showed a few seconds of other performances who also made it into the next round, but didn't get put on the show. They put A STRIPPER on television instead of a boy playing his violin or a group of young teens dancing. UGGH!

Still, what bothered me the most had nothing to do with the stripper. The very last act was an eleven-year old little red-head girl who literally blew everyone's socks off. Her name was Bianca Ryan and she was AWESOME!! The first two judges stood and applauded, then gave her lots of much-deserved praise. Then it was time for the third judge -- the "Simon Cowell" of the panel. He started by telling her she needed to change her hair, get a new dress, and some new shoes. After that he told her she was good. I seriously wanted to cry for that little girl. Imagine how excited she was when she got ready to go on the show! I'm sure she and her parents spent DAYS deciding what she would wear, went out and bought her a new outfit, and assured her that she looked dazzlingly beautiful before she went out on stage. She looked completely appropriate for a girl of her age, but I guess since she wasn't dressed as sexy or flashy as Snow White, Mr. Cowell-Guy thought it was okay to make fun of her on national television! What message does that send to every pre-teen girl in America? I'm so disgusted!

Torn

Earlier this month, we began the last year of our committment to the Army. Last year at this time, we were sure that we'd be staying in -- if not for 20 years, at least long enough for Jon to get his master's degree and possibly teach somewhere. However, since then our thoughts about staying in have changed a lot. We are honestly torn about whether we should stay in the Army or join the civilian world. It is SUCH a hard decision -- especially because we are looking at two opposite ends of the military spectrum -- getting out or trying for Special Forces.

I have been trying to just leave the decision up to Jon, and let him know that I will support him either way. We both trust that the Lord will guide us to where we're supposed to be. This doesn't mean I don't think about it every day, though! Each day, I go back and forth about what I think we should do. Selfishly, I often find myself wanting him home with me and out of harm's way forever. I want him to be able to enjoy being a father who is always home with his kids -- sometimes the thought of being a single mother scares me. Of course, when I talk to anyone in my family about this, they nod their heads adamantly and say that the best thing for our family would be for Jon to get out of the Army.

But then I find myself looking at the whole thing from a different perspective. When I look at the job description for Special Forces, I feel like it perfectly describes my husband. He LOVES that kind of stuff! The more challenging and impossible a task is, the more he enjoys it. He loves the physical part of his job. He thrives on the responsiblity of leading people and the bonds he creates with his soldiers. I know that Jon would try for special for Special Forces without even a second thought if he was still a single soldier. My biggest fear is that if we do decide to get out, Jon will look back in 10 years and say, "I wish I would've ... ." I know that our first priority should be our family -- and that the healthiest families probably have both parents around most of the time. However, I also believe that some people have a higher calling, and are called to make sacrifices in order to make a difference in this world. After all, our country was founded and developed by men and women who had the courage to make these sacrifices.

Anyways, as I was talking to Jon last night, I told him that I wish we could talk with a Special Forces family to see what advice they would have for us. Like ... What is life really like for an SF family? Would you make the same decision all over again? How do your kids adjust? If there are any SF families out there who have any words of wisdom, I would love to hear from you! And those of you who have already made the decision to stay in or get out -- what are some of the different things you considered?

Like I said, we completely trust that the Lord will show us just where we're supposed to be! And I know we'll end up happy either way. We have plenty of time to decide, we're just a little torn right now!

Update

Okay, so I want to have another wedding. To the same groom, of course. I just want to pick out a new dress, a new cake, new flowers, new bridesmaids' dresses, etc. Don't get me wrong -- I LOVED my wedding. I just want all of the excitement of another one!

This last weekend, I got to visit my friend Ally in Fort Worth. We were roommates and teammates all four years of college and she recently got engaged. While I was visiting, we spent lots of time looking for a wedding dress, looking at invitations, and browsing through wedding magazines. HOW FUN!! It was kind of like we just shopped all weekend, but didn't spend any money. :) (My husband is LOVING reading this right now!) I also got to spend some time with my Aunt MK (my mom's sister) and her family. She has a new grandson that my cousin and his wife adopted from Russia last fall and I got to meet him for the first time -- he was soooo cute! It was just such a great weekend, I didn't want it to end!

I really love the Fort Worth/Dallas Metroplex and think it would be a great place to live. I lived there for 4 years while I was in college. However, I was reminded of something on my visit. I have been so used to life in Colorado Springs, where money doesn't seem to be a huge priority for people. Sure, some of my friends are into clothes -- but we splurge by going to Target or TJ MAXX, not Prada or Nieman Marcus (I probably even spelled it wrong!). Maybe I'm just uber-sensitive, but I'd forgotten how everything is such a show there. The pressure of "doing well" and appearing "perfect" is kind of overwhelming. Kind of makes me scared to live there again some day -- Jon and I had talked about that as a possibility. Who knows? Just some observations ...

For right now, I'm PERFECTLY happy in Michigan. Yes, I'm a little bit bored. BUT, I'm spending almost every day at the beach, picking strawberries at the farm down the road, walking with my mom every night, and spending lots of QT with the people I love most (minus my hubby, of course)! My mom has a wonderful way of "filling my bucket" -- making me feel loved and important. I am so lucky to be a part of such a wonderful family as I realize more and more that many people aren't so fortunate.

The Break-Up

I just got back from seeing The Break-Up with my mom and sister. It is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. REALLY FUNNY -- Maybe just because Vince Vaughn's character reminds me so much of my husband in so many ways. I'll have to be sure to watch it with him when he gets home so that we can both laugh about it!

Book Review: The Kitchen Boy

I just finished my first summer read, The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander.


I LOVED this book. It was a quick read and kept me on the edge of my seat. It is about the Romanov family. The father of this family -- Nicholas -- was the last Tsar of Russia. It tells about their final month of house arrest before they are killed by members of the Bolshevik revolution. It is told from the point of view of one of their servants. There is a great twist at the end. I would DEFINITELY recommend this book for anyone out there who likes historical fiction.

I also found out the the same author wrote a book called Rasputin's Daughter. Maybe I'll have a chance to fit that one in this summer, too!

Military Slide Show

My Friend, Sally, sent me the link to this slide show.

Turn on your speakers and be still ....

www.iwo.com/heroes.htm

I love it here!

The days here in Michigan have been going by nice and slow -- just like they should in the summer-time! I just got here on Saturday afternoon, but I feel like I've been here a lot longer than that! Maybe that's what is so great about coming home -- feeling like you've never left!

So my vacation starts off with kind of a funny story. My mom picked me up at the South Bend airport on Saturday. When I opened the door to load my suitcases in back of the minivan, I immediately saw that it was already almost full with a CRIB! Now, this wouldn't be a big deal at all IF MY MOM HAD ANY GRANDCHILDREN!!! But she doesn't -- and there are none in sight either. I wasn't mad -- I just had to laugh. She wants to be a grandma so bad, and was determined to find a cheap crib sometime this summer. Oh mom ... :)

When we got home, we immediately drove down to St. Joseph to check out my dad's new boat. He is so proud of it, and in the 4 days I've been home, we've already been down there to hang out twice. I think we're going to have a lot of fun with it this summer. My dad is trying to convice my mom that we should take a trip across the lake to Chicago sometime this summer. It would take about 3 hrs to get there by boat (yes, the lake really is that big!!) My mom is a little scared of the idea, though!

Sunday, Monday, and today I went to the beach and relaxed. I just kept thinking about how lucky I am to be here. People pay a lot of money to be able to spend their vacation time on a beach! I always took it for granted when I lived here. But since I've moved away, I've come to realize what a special part of the country I grew up in. We spend a lot of time in St. Joseph, which is just about 15 minutes away from my house. Click on the link to see some pics:

www.sjtoday.org/sjtoday_htm/images%20of%20st%20Joseph.htm

I keep thinking about all those people who asked if I was really going to spend the WHOLE summer at home. Heck Yeah! How could I not want to spend my whole summer in a place like this! Not only is the beach great, but everything is SO GREEN! I live in a smaller town called Baroda. All of Southwest Michigan is very agricultural and Baroda is right in the thick of all the fields of crops, orchards, and vineyards. I love to walk in the evenings because everything is just gorgeous. Everything is so healthy and alive and growing!

I am loving being able to spend lots of time with my family, especially my little sister, Katherine. I will try to post some photos as I take them. I feel so blessed right now!

My Personal Heaven

I literally heard the sound of angels singing and harps playing as I entered my own personal heaven today -- Borders OUTLET!!!!! Who knew they had an OUTLET??!!! I felt the same way I do when I go to Target or Walgreens (those of you who know me know exactly what that means -- haha). I found the same books I was eyeing on the fiction tables at the regular Borders for between $2.99 and $5.99. HALLELUIAH!!

So here's a synopsis of my picks:

Amagansett by Mark Mills
About a working-class fisherman who lives in Long Island. His postwar community is sharply divided between those who live there year-round and the wealthy who just come for summer. Lives change when his nets pull in the body of a beautiful young woman, seaweed twined in her hair ...


The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar by Robert Alexander
Though the events are almost a century old, the imprisonment and execution of Tsar Nicholas and his family still hold an aura of mystery that fascinates. In haunting prose, Robert Alexander retells the story through the eyes of Leonka, once the kitchen boy to the Romanovs, who claims to be the last living witness to the family's brutal execution. Mysteriously spared by the Bolsheviks, the boy vanished into the bloody tides of the Russian Revolution. Now, through Alexander's conjuring, he reemerges to tell his story. What did the young boy see in those last days of the Imperial Family? Does he have answers to long-standing questions about secret letters smuggled to the Tsar, thirty-eight pounds of missing tsarist jewels, and why the bodies of two Romanov children are missing from the secret grave discovered in 1991?


Forever by Pete Hamill
A magical, epic tale of an extraordinary man who arrives in New York City in 1740 and remains ... forever. Cormac comes to know all the buried secrets of Manhattan -- the way it has been shaped by greed, race, and waves of immigration, by the unleashing of enormous human energies, and, above all, by hope. Through Cormac's eyes, we watch the city grow from a tiny community on the tip of an untamed wilderness to become the thriving metropolis of the present day.

Through it all, Cormac must fight, generation after generation, a force of evil that returns relentlessly in the scions of a single family. It is a family whose path first crossed his in Ireland and whose persistence puts at risk all his hopes for fulfilling his destiny. As he searches out these blood enemies, he must watch everyone he touches slip away ... And so he seeks the one who can change his fate, the mysterious dark lady who alone can free him from the blessing and the curse of his long life.


My Dearest Cecelia: A Novel of the Southern Belle Who Stole General Sherman's Heart by Diane Haeger
Cecilia falls instantly in love with the dashing Northern cadet William Tecumseh Sherman at the Commencement Ball at West point Military Academy. A Southern Belle, she and Sherman assume prominent positions on opposite sides during the Civil War. Legen has it that Sherman's love for Cecilia was the reason he spared her hometown of Augusta during his infamous march to the sea.


And so you can probably figure out my plans for the summer -- lots of good reading on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan! Me, a beach chair, and a book! (And maybe a margarita or two!)

Army Wives

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.

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.

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?

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 ...

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?

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.

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!

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!

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!"

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!!