...I want to be a 5th grade Sunday school teacher!
The perks are incredible. You are recognized wherever you go. The children hang on your every word and their lives are forever changed in that one hour each week! It is simply the ideal job!!
Yah...right!!
Even though I sometimes feel like I am talking to the air while my 5th grade pre-teens catch up on their beauty sleep, I can't help but be amazed at their occasional flashes of brilliance and deep-yet-simple insights. They end up teaching me.
One Sunday morning we talked about love. I came away from class with a fresh desire to love others like God wants me to love. This desire was sparked in my heart by God and His Word, but fanned into a nice little flame by the young minds who discussed it with me on their 5th grade level.
Our church just did a special offering called "not to us" that is earmarked for several Chinese orphans, Brazil medical supplies, and a special gift to all our missionaries. These kids made a goal to bring their own money to put in their own glass jar for this offering, and they were serious about it! They ended up giving a total of $38.27 to this wonderful cause!! It touches my heart to see their hearts and their hands so open to the things of God.
And I love how I get the title of teacher, but I am the one doing the learning!!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
New Date Idea!
Please note that over to the left I have at long last posted a new date idea. Dancing lessons!! Western swing, to be specific. We are learning a whole routine to the song, "Drink, swear, steal, and lie".
(Very rebellious song choice for us, don't you think?! And now I wonder if that is even the title. At least those words are actually in the song.)
For us, it is the ultimate in cheap dates because we have a friend who is teaching us in our basement.
We actually stumbled on this because our church is putting on a Dancing With the Stars Valentines Dance and we are one of the surprise couples who will be performing. We have completed week 2 of our lessons and we are having an absolute blast. I am going to try to learn how to put video on this blog so you can see us in action sometime.
And yes, our sessions get videotaped!! Supposedly it is so we can watch it afterwards and critique it! The real reason is they want to use it to make fun of us in front of everyone at church just like they do on the show.
Anyways, I can highly recommend dance lessons for a fun date idea!
(Very rebellious song choice for us, don't you think?! And now I wonder if that is even the title. At least those words are actually in the song.)
For us, it is the ultimate in cheap dates because we have a friend who is teaching us in our basement.
We actually stumbled on this because our church is putting on a Dancing With the Stars Valentines Dance and we are one of the surprise couples who will be performing. We have completed week 2 of our lessons and we are having an absolute blast. I am going to try to learn how to put video on this blog so you can see us in action sometime.
And yes, our sessions get videotaped!! Supposedly it is so we can watch it afterwards and critique it! The real reason is they want to use it to make fun of us in front of everyone at church just like they do on the show.
Anyways, I can highly recommend dance lessons for a fun date idea!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Too funny to keep to myself...
I received the following forward from a friend, and it is just too funny to keep to myself!
When asked to draw a picture of what they wanted to be when they grew up, second-grader "Sarah" turned in the lovely drawing shown below. Needless to say, the teacher was a bit surprised -- Mrs. Smith had always seemed like such a conservative woman. So she sent a note home to the girl's mother asking for clarification as to the picture's meaning. (read Mom's reply below the picture)
Here's the reply the teacher received the following day:
Dear Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.
From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith
When asked to draw a picture of what they wanted to be when they grew up, second-grader "Sarah" turned in the lovely drawing shown below. Needless to say, the teacher was a bit surprised -- Mrs. Smith had always seemed like such a conservative woman. So she sent a note home to the girl's mother asking for clarification as to the picture's meaning. (read Mom's reply below the picture)
Here's the reply the teacher received the following day:
Dear Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.
From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith
Thursday, January 15, 2009
It is so cold...
the snow has goose bumps!
I suppose what I am seeing is just frost on top of the drifts. I just wish I had a good camera to show you.
When it is -8 degrees, everything has goosebumps!!
I suppose what I am seeing is just frost on top of the drifts. I just wish I had a good camera to show you.
When it is -8 degrees, everything has goosebumps!!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Like Mother, Like Son? I Hope Not!!
D3 came home from school yesterday and went straight to the computer to register online for taking the ACT test. He is very serious about it and has his eye on scholarships. He registered all by himself with the exception of paying for it (he borrowed my credit card) and it all makes me feel very...cranky.
{Yes, cranky is the word. Who gave my baby boy permission to act all responsible and pre-adult?}
Anyways, it reminded me very much of myself and when I took my ACT.
{Not the responsible pre-adult part, but just the fact that I took the ACT at some point in my highschool career.}
My mom signed me up. She told me where to go. She probably made sure I had two #2 pencils all nice and sharpened in my purse and a healthy snack to keep my brain functioning at optimal levels. She set me up for ACT success. During the intermission I just happened to run in to an old friend. We talked in the hall half way through the next testing period before we realized what time it was. It really turned out fine since it was the math portion and I didn't take anything above Algebra II so I was basically guessing on most of the questions anyways. I squeaked through somehow and was able to get in to the university I wanted. But definately no scholarships...for heavens sake, I was just happy to be there and happy I would never have to take another ACT again!
So D3 hands me back my credit card and asks me what I got on my ACT way back when. I weighed the options (honesty and vulnerability vs. flat out lying) and wound up choosing silence. After all, tests are hard enough as it is. I didn't want to put any extra pressure on him.
{Yes, cranky is the word. Who gave my baby boy permission to act all responsible and pre-adult?}
Anyways, it reminded me very much of myself and when I took my ACT.
{Not the responsible pre-adult part, but just the fact that I took the ACT at some point in my highschool career.}
My mom signed me up. She told me where to go. She probably made sure I had two #2 pencils all nice and sharpened in my purse and a healthy snack to keep my brain functioning at optimal levels. She set me up for ACT success. During the intermission I just happened to run in to an old friend. We talked in the hall half way through the next testing period before we realized what time it was. It really turned out fine since it was the math portion and I didn't take anything above Algebra II so I was basically guessing on most of the questions anyways. I squeaked through somehow and was able to get in to the university I wanted. But definately no scholarships...for heavens sake, I was just happy to be there and happy I would never have to take another ACT again!
So D3 hands me back my credit card and asks me what I got on my ACT way back when. I weighed the options (honesty and vulnerability vs. flat out lying) and wound up choosing silence. After all, tests are hard enough as it is. I didn't want to put any extra pressure on him.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Top 5 Ways to Humble a Homemaker
Did you guys have company in town for the holidays? Several of my friends had out-of-town guests and as we all checked up on each other, we found that there was a common theme. We each had experienced some humbling experience with our company that reflected poorly on our homemaking skills. Fortunately, none of us care too deeply and it seems funny enough to pass along. So here are a few examples of ways to humble a homemaker:
5. Leave earlier then scheduled.
{Granted, this is sometimes a good thing for everyone, though still humbling! When our electricity went out for 48 hours over Christmas Eve and Christmas day, our company endured it with us. Toward the end they thought about taking off and I wouldn't have blamed them in the least if they had.}
4. Offer to take over the menu after you hear what she has planned.
{Ouch!!}
3. Re-arrange her dishwasher.
{Harmless really. Just...annoying.}
2. After seeing the bathroom, ask where she keeps her cleaning supplies.
{This one happened to me and is even more humbling in that it was done by a man. The only saving grace is that it was my boys bathroom that they had been assigned to clean earlier. I didn't check up on their work and they failed to take into consideration that their papa would care how clean it was. It was a fun moment when my father-in-law took them in hand and "trained" them on how to clean a bathroom according to his standards.}
1. Wear white socks in her kitchen.
{This one happened in my own kitchen and, thank goodness, I was the one wearing white socks, not a guest. But it was still humbling!!}
5. Leave earlier then scheduled.
{Granted, this is sometimes a good thing for everyone, though still humbling! When our electricity went out for 48 hours over Christmas Eve and Christmas day, our company endured it with us. Toward the end they thought about taking off and I wouldn't have blamed them in the least if they had.}
4. Offer to take over the menu after you hear what she has planned.
{Ouch!!}
3. Re-arrange her dishwasher.
{Harmless really. Just...annoying.}
2. After seeing the bathroom, ask where she keeps her cleaning supplies.
{This one happened to me and is even more humbling in that it was done by a man. The only saving grace is that it was my boys bathroom that they had been assigned to clean earlier. I didn't check up on their work and they failed to take into consideration that their papa would care how clean it was. It was a fun moment when my father-in-law took them in hand and "trained" them on how to clean a bathroom according to his standards.}
1. Wear white socks in her kitchen.
{This one happened in my own kitchen and, thank goodness, I was the one wearing white socks, not a guest. But it was still humbling!!}
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Clues You are Raising a Princess
* "OOOH, this is SO GROSS!"
(Not about handling raw meat or cleaning the boys' toilet...The Princess was on trash duty Saturday morning.)
* The Princess has mastered an English accent and she isn't afraid to use it.
* "I have lost my blindfold!", said with a clear note of panic.
(This aqua and hot pink sleeping blindfold keeps the royal Princess room just the right amount of dark for optimal Princess sleep.)
* "Some of the pages have been ripped out of this notebook."
(This is a notebook in which The Princess is writing a story, not for school but just for kicks. Why that disappointed her so deeply, I have no idea! It wasn't any of the pages she had written on and there were plenty more empty ones.)
* "I have to go but I don't want to go because the toilet seat will be cold!"
You know, as I read through these, I have to admit that I can totally relate to some of these clues and honestly, the last one crosses my mind every blessed morning throughout the long winter months. Maybe I have just a little bit of "Princess" in me too.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Excessive Celebration Penalty
My 9th grade son's basketball team played last night. The excessive celebration penalty wasn't given to a player on the team but to a fan...specifically, me. And it wasn't from the refs...from my husband.
Here is my defense:
They have yet to win a game and M has yet to score in a regulation game his whole highschool career (4 games so far). But last night, with 2 minutes left and 10 points behind, M. went in and lit a fire against the other teams starters. He caused a couple turnovers, he didn't make any himself, and he nailed the prettiest little 3 pointer. It was at this point that I had the "excessive celebration" apparently. But, for heavens sake, M. and the other "mop ups" narrowed the game to 4 points! It seemed entirely appropriate for me to whistle (and I whistle fairly loudly) and yell some encouragements. I didn't exactly dance in the stands or high five all the other parents around me!
Besides, I am his mom! Who better to "excessively celebrate", if that is actually what it is!!
So D3 plays tonight on varsity. I have already informed my husband that were D3 to do something remarkable (or even vaguely positive) out on the floor, I cannot promise to quietly and genteely pat my hands together. I will try. I just don't know if I have that kind of discipline!!
Note: Neither of the boys have ever voiced any complaint of my alleged "excessive celebration" in the past and insist that they don't even hear me. While that raises the question of what good my whistling actually does for them, at least I am not embarrassing them!
So...is anyone with me on this?
Here is my defense:
They have yet to win a game and M has yet to score in a regulation game his whole highschool career (4 games so far). But last night, with 2 minutes left and 10 points behind, M. went in and lit a fire against the other teams starters. He caused a couple turnovers, he didn't make any himself, and he nailed the prettiest little 3 pointer. It was at this point that I had the "excessive celebration" apparently. But, for heavens sake, M. and the other "mop ups" narrowed the game to 4 points! It seemed entirely appropriate for me to whistle (and I whistle fairly loudly) and yell some encouragements. I didn't exactly dance in the stands or high five all the other parents around me!
Besides, I am his mom! Who better to "excessively celebrate", if that is actually what it is!!
So D3 plays tonight on varsity. I have already informed my husband that were D3 to do something remarkable (or even vaguely positive) out on the floor, I cannot promise to quietly and genteely pat my hands together. I will try. I just don't know if I have that kind of discipline!!
Note: Neither of the boys have ever voiced any complaint of my alleged "excessive celebration" in the past and insist that they don't even hear me. While that raises the question of what good my whistling actually does for them, at least I am not embarrassing them!
So...is anyone with me on this?
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