Me Again!

Yep, again...now reflecting at the end of my near-perfect day! These days are rare - and I enjoy them to the FULLEST!! I got SO MUCH done today - but also had time to read, write, play a couple of games of Skip-bo with Anna, make a nice dinner, be outside with the dog, and watch some Food Network, of course! :)

DINNER MENU:
Saute'ed Worchestershire Chicken
Mashed Potatoes (and chicken gravy from a mix)
Super Easy Dinner Rolls

I should have added something green like broccoli or green beans, but oh well. ;)
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Saute'ed Worchestershire Chicken is from ALL YOU magazine
1 1/2 lb chicken breast (thin as possible, I pounded mine w/ a meat mallet)
salt & pepper
1/2 cup all-purp flour
3 Tbsp butter (unsalted)
2 Tbsp veg oil
2 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp parsley (I forgot to add it - oh well!!)

Preheat oven to 200 (I skipped this - it was just for keeping the chicken warm)
Sprinkle chicken with s&p; dredge in flour.

Warm 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over med-high until the butter is foamy. Add 1/2 of the chicken and cook til browned - turn & cook other side. Transfer to plate & loosely cover w/ foil to keep warm. Add another 1 Tbsp each butter & oil to skillet & repeat cooking rest of the chicken. Add to platter and keep warm in the oven (I skipped this step).

Add Worchestershire sauce, vinegar, and chicken broth to empty skillet (I might have considered doubling this amount for more sauce next time), bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Stir occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat & stir in remaining 1 Tbsp butter until it is melted.
Season sauce w/ s&p. Pour over chicken and garnish w/ parsley.
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The rolls were so easy to make - 3 ingredients*! They have mayonnaise (which I don't care for) in them, but when you think about it, mayo is just eggs & oil, which you put in dough anyway.
(*)more ingredients for me as I had to "make" my own self-rising flour out of all-purpose flour.
Click on the link above to SEE the rolls - they really do look THAT good! And they taste pretty good too - I had mine w/ butter & honey (no, this was not a low-cal meal!!). :)

I Won! I Won! I Won - I Won - I Won!

You have to first of all know that I am a LOSER....I enter contests, give-aways, and drawings - and frankly, I can't recall ever winning ANYTHING. At showers, I never win the door prize; at those sell-stuff parties (Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, et al.), I never win anything. I am just not a WINNER. (poor me!)

But today - today I WON!!! I won a book I am actually very excited about!!! My friend Julie reviewed it - and I thought that book sounds like just what I need. It's about mommy guilt and other such issues - and if you know me, I doubt myself way too often and second guess everything I do and have to mull over every little decision I make concerning my kids. If God has anything to do with random-generated numbers, He must have agreed that I should read this book!

And now I no longer have to hold my thumb & forefinger in a shape of an "L" to my forehead - the Junior High sign of a LOSER! I am a WINNER!! :) Yeah, me!!

For a glimpse of my prize, a book by Dr. Sheila Coleman, click here: MOMMY GRACE

About Easter Eggs

After substitute teaching every day last week, I caught a glimpse of my former life. For 3 years I worked full time at our busy church and Christian school (having worked one year part-time before that). As of last summer, I cut my hours (and my pay check) to work part-time again because I was just too "stressed out." Some women handle working full-time beautifully and do a great job managing work and home/family. I think of many I know who do it - and most have parents or extended family near by who help out a lot and support them. And others have a job they are passionate about and enjoy doing, which makes it worth it.

I tried, but I never did find that balance. For one thing, I'm not a people-person, and I had very little time to re-charge by being alone. For another thing, I'm not a very "high energy" person, so I am not naturally one to keep going and going and going without eventually having a break down. We were just too busy for my liking. My homebody tendencies just couldn't handle it!

A PAAS Easter Egg Kit sits behind a box (of junk like scissors, paper, tape, coupons) on my kitchen counter. That kit has been there for TWO YEARS!! Each April for the last 2 years, I promised my kids that we would color Easter eggs...and guess what? We didn't. I was too tired and too distracted and too busy to stop and color eggs. That makes me so sad. But this year, we WILL color those eggs!! We will make that memory. That is why I now work part-time, to have peace of mind and calm of home to focus on what is MOST important right now - my family. Children grow up way too fast.


While I realize in the light of eternity, it doesn't matter if we had colored Easter eggs as long as we worshipped the Risen Savior on Easter or if we hung pretty red hearts at Valentine's Day as long we said the words "I love you" to each other often - but for my children, I don't want a memory of a too-busy mom who didn't have time to stop and enjoy each moment, each special day, and each ordinary day.

It's amazing what hindsight does for a person!! Suddenly, I am the "older mom" with children who are 8 and 10 years old. They are no longer babies, very self-sufficient, much less needy; but they still need to be nurtured and taken care of. I can't believe as I look back that I've been out of high school for over 20 years, been married over 16 years, and my children are flying through elementary school very quickly. I have seen that I can't stop time, but I do now realize more than ever that we can make the most of each moment. I think that's one reason I enjoy blogging. I can stop and reflect on those precious, sometimes ordinary moments of a day and value that experience all over again. I can remember the things that were said or the feelings that were shared.

I am finding what is most important to ME again. I don't want too many regrets (I already have enough!). I don't want my children to grow up and leave me and I say, "I wish I had..." I know there will be some unfulfilled wishes, but I hope there will be more good memories of a happy childhood and parents who were available. I want my husband and my children to know they came FIRST over any job or any other person I had to help at the church. I don't want them to be selfishly spoiled, but I want them to know they are MY priority right now. They are my God-given responsibility. I asked God for a godly husband, and He answered! I begged him for many years for babies, and He answered! I am responsible to cherish His great blessings to me. He also gave me a great job that I am responsible for, but not at the expense of my family. The job will potentially still be there when my children are gone - but the time to raise my family is fleeting.

Obviously I'm in a very reflective mood today. My husband calls me "Melanconny" (a play on the word melancholy) when I get like this. It's not a depressed mood, it's just pensive and thoughtful. It's a time when it hits me that life is like a vapor just like the Bible says in the book of James (4:14). We can't stop time, but we can make the most of each moment. I want to be more aware of the little things that make those moments special, things like coloring Easter eggs.

Something "Deeper"

Just so you all don't think I spent all day Sunday cleaning, I did go to church :) Because our church now has an 11 a.m. service & a 2 p.m. service, I had all afternoon to work on my kitchen :)

In Sunday School, we continue to study this book, Secrets of a Happy Heart:

This week's chapter is an enigma in a way: "The Joy of Understanding Anger." Somehow, I don't think it joyful to think about anger - however, when you realize it CAN BE overcome with God's help, that is indeed a joyful thought!

In the past, I will admit, I've had some problems with anger. A book that was very helpful to me was The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo. There is a book and a study guide. I won't get into the myriad of things I thought I had to be angry about, but in dealing with these issues, I too have learned a lot about anger. Our pastor says all anger is basically directed at God. Why? Because if you're angry at a person, WHO put that person in your life? God. If you're angry about circumstances, WHO put that situation in your life? God. If you're angry about injustice in the world, WHO allowed it all to happen. God. That doesn't mean God sets out to make us miserable or unhappy or mad, it means He wants us to learn, grow, trust Him, and ultimately give Him the glory. Not easy stuff. (at least not for me)

In fact, in this chapter's study, I read a concept that totally made sense to me. Being angry, along with other sinful behavior, comes very natural to people! Have you ever seen an angry baby?? Who taught it to be angry? No one! It comes naturally. On the contrary, as we grow in Christ and learn about the fruits of His Spirit (love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, etc), we realize those traits are SUPERNATURAL. A quote from my book is, "The more mature we are spiritually, the more our instantaneous reactions will pattern those of our Lord Jesus Christ." When we are able to react without anger, it is "a mark of miraculous love and forgiveness which is a natural part of God's nature, not our own." I fear I have a long way to go on this one.

The other thing I realized is that I say I'm not as angry as I used to be; however, I frequently use the words "frustrated," "irritated," and "annoyed." Well, guess what?! Those words might more accurately be replaced with "I'm ANGRY." Why? Because things aren't going MY way, people aren't reacting like *I* want them to, and something is just a general nuisance and interruption in MY life and plans.

There were a ga-billion other things I learned in this chapter - or was reminded of - but another one that stood out to me was the fact that anger and pride are basically twins. Anger is all about ME, which is a prideful expression of our own will. The opposite of pride is humility, which is what we should strive for. More good advice, "Humility does not clench a fist around its rights making God pry loose one finger at a time. Rather, a humble spirit willingly opens its hand to God with childlike trust."

No one can conquer anger without submitting their heart and life to God completely. It begins in the mind. There are so many verses given in the study, but one I've come across a lot even before I had this book is II Corinthians 10:5b, "...and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Anger is something that is natural to every human being, and that emotion in and of itself is not the sin. How we react to anger is the key: do we give in to our anger and wallow in its sinful, damaging, self-glorifying ugliness OR do we give it to God and ask Him for strength to control our minds and give over our will and let go of the injustices? If we make the right choice, there is definitely JOY in understanding (and overcoming) anger.

Welcome to My (clean) Kitchen!

Last Sunday we were "front porch sitting" and enjoying the beautiful day.
This Sunday, it was 45 degrees, not condusive to being outside - and I suddenly got the urge to start:
So much for a day of rest...but I just got to thinking of all the dust on top of my 1988 cabinets (I hate that space up there actually but have no idea how to change it) - and then I got to thinking about how long it has been since I cleaned out the fridge - and then I decided to take everything out & clean things up! Since I knew I wanted to write a blog entry today, I figured I may as well share this exciting process with you all! ;)

It gets worse before it gets better! (oooooooooh, but look at that nice, sparkly new dishwasher !!)


This side - much better:

Taking everything down - cleaning on top of the fridge too...
And putting it all together again. I have read so much about how magnets on the fridge are such a big no-no when you want a clutter-free effect in your kitchen. I guess I break that rule!

And here's your hidden picture quiz: I have one last item left in my kitchen from 1988 when the house was built (besides the railing on top of the cabinets); do you see it?? I can't wait to GET RID of it some day!!

YEAH! Even the inside of the fridge is CLEAN!!!!!!!

Now I can make myself a nice cup of tea - and relax.

(Check out other Blissfully Domestic people HERE - most probably WAY more Blissfully Domestic than ME!)

FIELD TRIP!

Friday, I was able to go on a field trip with my son's class (5th & 6th grades) that I'd been substitute teaching all week already. We went on a big yellow school bus with 4th grade and the students from 9th - 11th grades too.
We went to the St. Louis Science Center , a truly amazing place! The minute you walk in, you see this giant ball maze thing, no doubt an example of engineering skill beyond what I could ever fathom.

Lots and lots of balls run around and around the track - up and down - around and around some more. It's dizzy-fy-ing!

I think the balls are powered somehow, somewhere by this giant human hamster wheel, being run here by Andrew (on the left) & his friend Roenn:

Of course, there are also the usual museum displays - like dinosaurs, space stations, human life exhibits, etc.

A lot of the museum is interactive, of course. This exhibit used mirrors to give the illusion of the person whose head is in the hole appearing headless! You'd have to see it to understand it.
And here is me, the "supervisor" of a group of 6 boys from my class.

There is also a pretty neat planetarium there. However, honestly, I have a few "what not to do" suggestions for them! The planetarium is a dark, quiet place - there are felt mats on the floor that you lay (lie?) on to gaze at the "sky" overhead. During the presentation, they play quiet, classical music....and the room remains dark for about an hour while either a man or a film presentation drones on and on about planets, stars, constellations, the sun, and so on. NOT a conducive environment for keeping some folks awake. I heard our bus driver (who was also a group chaperon) snoring....If I'd had a pillow, I might have been too. ;) So, I suggest they liven up the show OR include pillows with the felt mats. :)

We didn't have enough time to see more than maybe a 1/4 of the whole museum. My son was greatly disappointed - but since it is a FREE museum, I'm sure we can go back! Personally, science is not my thing - but it was great to watch the kids have fun, aside from the 10 minutes where I lost one of the boys in my group - and the 30 minutes I spent waiting for the kids to get through the Gift Shop and wait in line to pay for their items. I even enjoyed the 2 1/2 hour bus ride there and 2 1/2 hour bus ride back- mainly because I got to chat with a few of the ladies on the trip - and one of them brought SNACKS and Diet Coke! :)

TEA Hee Hee!

So, read the first line of my last post ("Amazing Grace")....and I quote: "substitute teaching is just not my bag of tea."

Is that a REAL saying or did I just make that up!!? BAG OF TEA??!?!?! I think it's supposed to be CUP of tea.......

Sorry, just laughing at myself. Did you catch it too??!

I have a lot of tea analogies rolling around in my head. There is a favorite joke from Dan's dad that my kids like to re-tell about old people having dinner together (3 couples). The first man says to his wife, "Pass the sugar, Sugar."
The second guy says to his wife, "Pass the honey, Honey."

The third guy, not to be outdone, says to his wife, "Pass the tea, Bag." ha ha ha.

THEN there is the ever famous "tea bag analogy" from the CHANGED INTO HIS IMAGE study I have gone through at church. It's by Jim Berg (BJU Press); I highly recommend it!!

He starts by talking about how our lives can be like a tea bag. One really doesn't know what is inside it until it is dipped into hot water; stressful, difficult tmes will reveal the contents. I have often thought of this as I faced "hard things" in my life...I have been shocked, appalled, and humbled by what has come out of the "tea bag" of my life.

Well, all this talk of tea has made me crave a sweet, warm drink. It's a rainy day here today, gray and lazy. Just what my family needs after the busy week we just had. I'm probably staying in my jammies a while longer, watching Food Network, reading blogs - THAT is my perfect cup of tea!!! :)

Amazing Grace!

So, you all know by now (as my husband pointed out to me this evening that EVERYONE knows by now....) that substitute teaching is just NOT my bag of tea. God, however, used this week to teach me a valuable lesson. I was gently reminded today of what it is all about - and I found that it sure is NOT all about me.

We have chosen to put our children in Christian school. I know it isn't the choice for everyone, and I know many Christian kids who are successfully going to public schools - and many of my friends home-school. I'm just saying this is the right thing for our family, and today I am even more thankful for the opportunity. Christian education is not just about academics, but also about growing godly character and learning how to serve the Lord. I know church and home life do that as well - but we have the advantage of a third factor supporting us in this pursuit.

At our school, the 2nd - 6th grade classes rotate going to the local nursing home to sing for the residents. Today was the 4th - 6th graders' turn. I initially wasn't going to go with my class (5th and 6th grades) - but I seriously believe that God intended for me to be there.

Because we live in Missouri now and have to deal with concepts new to this ex-Tennessee resident, completely foreign concepts like state income tax, we also have to get our vehicles inspected before we can renew the license plate stickers. So, today I needed to get my vehicle inspected, which I was going to do while my class was singing at the nursing home (Dan went with my class, as did the 4th grade teacher). HOWEVER, when I got to the service station, the mechanic guy asked if I could come back in 30 minutes for my inspection. Since the nursing home was just down the road, I decided to go hear the kids sing while I waited - and I am SO glad I did!!

A few of the children performed on the piano and trumpet, but for the most part, our students just sang some old-fashioned hymns. Something about hearing children sing about God just touches my heart anyway, but to think of the ministry they were performing to the elderly residents in that room made it even that much more poignant. The last hymn they sang was "Amazing Grace," which perked up many of the residents because it is such a familiar song. Many sang along, even some of the workers sang. When it was over, I saw one lady in a far back corner who had tears in her eyes. She told the other teacher very excitedly how that was a song she loved. THAT is what it's all about: OTHERS. I'm getting it...slowly.

I stayed around a few more minutes as the kids always go around and shake hands with the people who come - and then they get kool-aid and treats from the aides. I watched my son, who is 10 years old, talk to some of the residents. I heard him introduce himself to a lady in a wheelchair and watched her pat his arm.

I know how hard it is for some children to talk to the elderly, especially in a nursing home setting like this. My mom used to take me with her to the nursing home with our church's ministry when I was a child. I will forever associate angel food cake with that memory because I served that to the people every time I went. I am so thankful she made me go. It was one of those "hard things" for me, but it was so good for me to step outside my comfort zone. Thankfully, visiting like that comes more naturally to my son (he takes after his dad!), and I hope he will always, always retain that sweet attitude of wanting to be kind. I'm so thankful he (and our whole family) can be a part of a school that gives our children the opportunity for Christian service, to share a little of God's amazing grace with others.

The Post that has No Title Either

I realize that I have much to be thankful for, I realize that my life is probably better than 89.2% of the people on this planet, and I realize overall, I have nothing to complain about...BUT:

I AM TIRED. This has been a long, long week - and it's not over yet. After 3 years of working full-time - and experiencing metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, anemia, and migraines as a result (I didn't have any of these things except the anemia ever before in my life), I realized I don't handle the "stress" I create for myself very well when I work full-time and carry full-time responsibilities of others on me as well as my own family, house, etc...mainly because my personality of being a control freak is not condusive to me just "letting things go" or "not worrying about things." When I came home at night, I took care of my family in the minimal sense, but I didn't take care of me - and my health suffered as a result.

So, even though it caused us to adjust our financial life style, I started working part-time this school year. And it was good. There were times I had to come in on a "day off" because someone was sick or I was needed to do something...but this week, as I've had busy days from morning til night, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that working full-time is NOT worth the money. Being away from home from morning til night leaves me with zero energy to fix a nice, healthy meal - and we fall back into the pattern of just eating junk to fill the hunger. And let me ask this: how can a house that we are not in turn into such a mess; I guess it becomes the dumping ground with no maid to clean it up??!

Oh well...if this is what God has for me this week, then He'll help me get through it. Pray I don't kill any 5th or 6th graders today as I substitute this class again, or worse, do something to embarrass my husband. Well, I think I finally got the lesson plans down, I just need patience to deal with the students. Say a little prayer for me today, my 3 faithful readers. ;)

EDIT::::::::::: at 4:30 p.m.
The above post was written at 7:15 a.m. - and I just now realized how uninspired I am for titles - I didn't even give this post a title!
and PSS I survived the day!!! :) yeah!!!

My Blog Needs a Good Name!

If you stop by every so often - not via Google Reader - you may have noticed the title of my blog has changed 3 times in the last week! I am just not satisfied with the name. "As for Me & My House" just seemed too generic. While I love the Bible verse, I just feel the phrase is overused somehow. Maybe "Me and My Haus"?? I'm trying to go with the Hutch HAUS theme.....

So, then I can't even remember what I tried next; it must have been bad! And now "From the Heart of My Haus"?? I dunno. I'm not sold on it.

SO: feedback? Ideas? Inspiration?? Anyone?? As if this is a world-changing decision - ha!! For all 3 of you readers out there, I'd love to have a GOOD NAME, a catchy name, a fitting name for my little piece of blogland - OH - I just remembered the other name I tried, "My Little Haus in Blogland" or something like that.

This is why I am not a professional marketing or advertising person. ZERO creativity talent for finding themes. I would have NEVER in a lifetime come up with "You're in good hands with Allstate" or "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands" or "L'oreal - because I'm worth it." I'm not that good.

Anyway:
I survived today. Contrary to yesterday when I knew NOTHING about what to do, today I knew half of what to do. Dan taught my Math class - and I went to get my hair done. No circumferences of circles for me today!! My son told me I was, however, a TERRIFIC Language teacher :) I'll take it. I don't need a degree to prove I can do that! (see yesterday's post)

Tomorrow I might even understand about 3/4 of what I'm doing with this group of kids. Don't get me wrong - I love these kids - they are interesting, amusing, and just a tad ridiculous (do you all realize how much LIP GLOSS, HAIR PRODUCTS, and BATH & BODY WORKS spray these 5th & 6th grade girls carry around in their purses - and how often they have to use these items??!!!). Oh my. I'm still not crazy about the "teaching" part; but we're going to get by. The teacher may find I have set her back a few weeks in lesson plans upon her return - but I kept the kids entertained anyway (and vice versa).

I've learned today (I feel obligated to say SOMETHING profound today) that it's a lot easier to just sit at home & do whatever you want to do or enjoy doing, but it's a lot more fulfilling to do something useful to help out when it's needed. Another Tuesday I will be able to "sit" at home & do what I want to do for my self and my own family; but for now, I'm fulfilling what I'm supposed to be doing for others. The experience of doing something I didn't really WANT TO DO has grown me another spiritual half an inch - which isn't much compared to the 400,000 feet I probably need to still stretch. Some day hopefully I'll be mature enough to see that it really isn't all about ME.

Thank for stopping by today - and if you have some sudden inspiration for a name for this blog, PLEASE leave me a comment. By the way, "Nut Haus" is NOT an option. (c:

Trust Your Instincts!

In the fall of 1989, I think it was, I was a college Sophomore. I had just transferred to Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga and after completing some core requirement courses at another school, I was finally ready to pursue my chosen major, English Education. One of the classes I was required to take with all the education majors was "Orientation to Teaching." Surprisingly, I scored pretty well on the pretend lessons I had to give, I really enjoyed our instructor, and I wrote some pretty decent research papers - but one day we were required to visit the local Christian elementary school. Upon "observing" in a classroom for a while and talking with the teacher, I pretty much decided then and there that teaching was NOT for me. And later, as I had an Elementary Ed. major room mate, I realized I had made the RIGHT CHOICE for me. I was just not "teacher material:" no burning desire to teach, no interest in creative lesson plans, no feeling of a "call" to instruct young minds, no passion for passing on knowledge.

I changed my major to plain ol' English, my one and only interest from the whole of the college catalogue; and by the end of 4 years, I just wanted to GRADUATE already. I didn't go to college because I wanted some big career, I went there - quite honestly - in hopes of finding a husband, in hopes of getting married and some day having a family. I guess God knew I'd need a 4-year degree for some reason, if for nothing else but allowing me time to mature, and so I graduated with a BA degree in "Interdisciplinary Studies with a proficiency in English" (a fancy way of saying a general liberal arts degree with not enough course requirements to merit a full English degree). It didn't matter; I had met Dan my Senior year - and at graduation, we decided we didn't want to go our separate ways. By that September we were engaged - and by that December, we were married. I was a wife - and while our journey to having children was way longer than I ever expected it to be, I never ever regretted my decision to NOT become a teacher.

I have held some jobs I liked, such as being a Library Technician in Germany at the Army Community Library. I have also been a temp agency worker, a receptionist/dispatcher at a photocopy company, and in pre-married life I was sales clerk. I even like my job as a church/school secretary well enough. I have held my ultimate dream job, what I hoped for all those years in college; I was a stay-at-home mom for 6 short, fleeting years.

Today I had to substitute teach. It's a job I stumble upon every so often because I am now a part-time employee - and logically, I'm the most available of the staff to sub. Today as I was faced with a COMPLETELY BLANK lesson plan book (the teacher I was sub'bing for has been dealing with a medical emergency in her family - and the last thing on her mind was making lesson plans), I was again reminded that this is so not my thing. It's not that I can't do it; I can teach, I can maintain discipline; I just have about zero interest in teaching. Looking through teacher planner books and teacher keys, I may as well have been studying Chinese. Thankfully, the teacher actually came in and offered me a little guidance to what in the world I was supposed to be doing (like showing me there actually IS a step-by-step teacher guide that shows you EXACTLY how to teach a particular lesson!! who knew?! obviously, NOT ME!). I was glad to know about the teacher guide thing because I had completely forgotten how to divide fractions and I don't think I ever knew the formula for finding the circumference of a circle. I fear I am not much, if at all, smarter than the 5th graders I taught today.

I don't HAVE TO do this; Dan knows I don't like to substitute teach. We can obligate other people, who might actually enjoy teaching, to change their schedules to come in and substitute; Dan would turn his own schedule upside down to accommodate me; but I feel like I need to do this as much as possible. It is one of the "hard things" in my life that I am trying to overcome. Little do these kids know they are probably part of God's big plan to get me out of my comfort zone, to force me to do what I need to do and not what I want to do, to remind me that PEOPLE are more important than my own priorities. Today the teacher learned more than the students.

What Sunday Ought To Be

Besides going to church, shouldn't Sunday be about rest and front-porch-sitting!? About the love of family.

Enjoying time together.

And enjoying God's creation - and His creatures too!

Yeah, that's what Sunday ought to be.

Impossible Circumstances

Because someday I want to achieve it, I am soaking in our study of the workbook, The Secrets of a Happy Heart. The last few lessons have been so applicable to my life - such as the one I mentioned in a previous post: Joy in Disappointment

Today's lesson was called "The Joy of Overcoming Impossible Circumstances." We all have surely faced some - whether they were truly something life changing or impossible only in our own mind. I have a list of circumstances I have faced and overcome - and some happening right now that I wonder if I'll ever get through. Impossible circumstances don't always resolve like we want them to, the process is sometimes painful, but in the end, God can get us through, if we allow Him. A statement in the lesson says, "God is eager to make your life a trophy of His grace...But you must be willing to do it His way." Over and over I am confronted with the idea that God wants me to pry my fingers off my life and let Him take care of things. I need to hold my own plans loosely.

I've also been mulling over my own weakness, but a wonderful truth I've learned is that Jesus requires only grain-of-mustard-seed size faith! That's not very much. Some are men or women of GREAT faith; some of us kind of hold on to the end of the rope as it unravels. However, Scripture tells us that even the littlest of faith can move moutains!

The other thing I realized through today's study is that I'm not condemned (ie punished)! We may suffer the consequences of our sins and our choices, but we are never corrected by God out of anger or contempt and are never rejected by Him (Romans ch. 8 - "There is therefore now no condemnation to those which are in Christ Jesus"). God's love for us is dependent upon His own character, not ours. He loves us simply because we are His.

The daily journey through trials will be more joyful if we focus "on the good kinds of outcome that will come out of the crisis, not on the pain of the crisis itself." Suffering believers are urged to look up, not within (I Peter). I've definitely noticed that my tendency to be so introspective isn't always so great. I condemn myself way too easily, I'm hard on myself, I don't meet my own expectations, I am not who or what I wish I were, I don't have everything I ever dreamed I'd have, etc etc etc - but I am exactly where God wants me. He isn't suprised by the events of my life and the seemingly impossible circumstances I face.

I have a framed sign on my desk at work that says, "Good Morning, This is God. I will be handling all your problems today. I will not need your help. Have a nice day."

One More Time..

On this last full day of Spring Break, I want to make sure my focus is on what I have, not what I don't have - on what I know, not on the uncertain - on the fun, comfortable things in life, not on the duty and responsibility that is coming back full force soon.


Here's a totally frivilous, non-spiritual list of things I'm thankful for:

Starbucks coffee - in all of its outrageously expensiveness

Olive Garden - especially if I have gift cards

Panera Bread - sandwiches far beyond pb-and-j and bologna, bagels, pastries, soup, and coffee too!
(I'm sensing a FOOD theme here)

our Goodwill here in town - one of the nicer ones I know of anyway

a dishwasher!!

really good milk chocolate, particularly German or Swiss chocolates

a comfy couch

expanded cable TV with HGTV, Food Network, Hallmark channel and other half-way decent channels

books, books, books - especially a good mystery

BBC movies - like A&E's Pride & Prejudice (in conjunction w/the BBC) - and Masterpiece Theater - and Jane Austen themed movies

cats

ethnic foods - German, Greek, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Mexican, Japanese, and Southern :)

soft jammies, cozy robe, and fuzzy slippers - especially at 10 a.m. on a Saturday

coupons and sale prices

and I could keep writing - but my time is now short.
What are YOU thankful for? If we focus on it, there is so much around us that we dont NEED but that God allows us to have anyway for our enjoyment and comfort.

When You're Having Fun

Why does time creep by when you're at work or doing the madatory routines and then fly when you're home? I have no idea where this week went - but here we are, the end of Friday. We really don't have much to show for the week - but we have had quite a week! We've worked a little, been lazy a lot, got to do a few fun things out of town, had some emotional ups-and-downs (me anyway!), and learned some lessons along the way. I didn't get much done on my TO DO list like Spring Cleaning or working on my Medical Transcription course or catching up on my Bible reading (I should be starting Judges now but I'm just now getting out of Deuteronomy - I knew I wouldn't stay "on schedule" so I'm not sweating it! I'd rather get something out of my reading than just skim through to make a deadline).
So, that was our

I'm sad it is over. I am already dreading the days ahead at work as I know I will have to be what I am NOT: flexible. I will have to do what I am not called or qualified to do: substitute teach. I will have to do what I've been talking to myself about: trust in God's strength and not my own.

Is it SUMMER BREAK yet??????? ;)

Coincidences ?

Is there such a thing as a coincidence when one is a Christian? I don't really think so because God is in control of all things so He is directing our paths - even when they cross paths of someone else seemingly coincidentally!

Today my family went to Springfield, a city about 80 miles away, to take some books to a used book store for credit, to use a gift certificate to Olive Garden, and to make a hospital visit.
At the hospital, after visiting with the couple we went to see, we came out of the elevator - and I heard someone say, "Are you Conny?"

And there stood a RN that looked vaguely familiar! Suddenly it hit me: she was Cheryl, the daughter of my 8th grade teacher and the sister of my all-time favorite youth pastor growing up. The irony is that I went to 8th grade in Knoxville/Powell, Tennessee which is about 680 miles from Springfield! I knew my old teacher had moved to Springfield many years ago as they have connections to the Baptist Bible College that is located there (and I think her husband still works on the grounds there; their son is now a BBF missionary to Brazil, I think, formerly to Lithuania).

The other irony is that when we first moved to Missouri about 7 years ago, we also ran into Cheryl at the mall in Springfield. I've been meaning to visit her mom ever since then - to introduce my kids to probably my all-time favorite teacher! I guess I really need to do that some day SOON!!

So, that was a wonderful - shall we say - divine appointment or act of Providence or something to that extent!

Tonight I was reading my usual blogs - and I came across a post that really touched my heart - a post about accepting and learning from loss (even though this ladies' loss is greater than anything I have experienced - but the conclusions we have made are somewhat the same). I already started plotting to link her blog entry to mine as it fits with my theme from the last few days (at least in my brain). I wanted to leave a comment for the blogger, and so I did - and in reading through other comments I again stumbled upon a name I knew from my past! There was the name & face of the originator of a group of Christian women facing infertility that I was once a part of (from about 1997-2002) called Hannah's Prayer. In fact, I once "wrote" an article for the group's newsletter Hannah-to-Hannah, which was my very first writing to be posted on the Internet!

Here is the article, which isn't just helpful if one has lost a child, it can be applied towards accepting any loss - loss of health, dreams, career, money, status, etc.:
What Loss Taught Me

Thanks in EVERYTHING....

In EVERYTHING - I guess that covers it: good things, bad things, easy times, hard times, fun times, sad times, smooth road, bumpy road, sickness, health, rich, poor, etc etc etc....

I'm glad I've chosen this theme for the week. It brought me back to perspective after a kind of up-and-down day yesterday (Tuesday). I am probably less stable than most (ha!) so I go from happy about something to sad about something else without warning and in less than 2 or 3 seconds! It explains why one minute I'm saying something very positive and the next minute I'm saying the most ugly, negative things. I'm striving on staying a little more even keel, a little more predictable, and a little more optimistic! I can blame it on majorly messed up hormones and on just being a fickle woman, but I know much of it is just me, my warped thoughts, and bad habits of negativity and believing Satan's lies.

Ok, that confession given (and it's nothing new if you REALLY know me), yesterday was kind of a day like that:
Day off - YEAH!!
Doctor appointment - BOO!!
Good news from dr. - YEAH!!
Bad news form dr. - BOO!!
Shopping with bargain prices at The Children's Place - YEAH!!
Lunch at Applebee's - YEAH! (there were NO boo's in between!!)
My stomach bothering me later- BOO!!
Going to Target & feeling better & being able to order a Frappacino - YEAH!!
Coming home & doing taxes - BIG BIG BOO!!

Of course, it's all in a day's living - and nothing earth shattering - however, each situation yesterday had to be mulled over, processed, and decided upon how I'd react (whether it was a conscious decision or not). I wonder if a person is living "right" that they'd react "right" without having to think about it as much as I have to. I mean, if your attitude is adjusted well and you're right with the Lord, would you tend to just accept the good with the bad and the ugly? Does it just come naturally for some merely because they have a "sunny," optimistic personality?

For me, I think years of wrong thinking definitely affect this. I'm slowly, slowly working on "...bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (II Cor. 10:5) because unlike some probably more mature Christians I know, this does NOT come easily for me. Hence, I have to write things down, think about my responses, and re-train my brain to think godly thoughts. I wish I had gotten this down years ago, but I guess I wasn't ready then?!

One thing that kind of set off my negative thoughts was my conversation with my doctor. A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with a huge ovarian cyst. Thankfully, it has resolved itself (dissolved or burst, but in any case, it is GONE) - but as we explored my ovaries with an internal ultrasound, the doctor was showing me all the little bitty cysts on my ovaries due to "poly cystic ovarian syndrome" which I've struggled with since forever basically. I've tried a lot of things to deal this problem, which involves so many other factors like insulin resistance and can lead to Type II diabetes if not controlled. Also PCOS will and has led to me twice now to getting blood transfusions due to anemia.

So anyway, after talking about how my ovaries looked, the doctor kind of sympathetically looked at me and said, "Your ovaries are just very stubborn and resistant to medication. There's nothing you did wrong. It's just the way God made you." My initial reaction to that was, "WHY would God do that to me? Why I can't I have normal ovaries like normal women?" and I could have gone off on a little rant in my mind about the unfairness of it all, remembering how often I've been let down by those 2 broken, little organs. Then I began to think about all those who have even worse problems like those born blind, those born with congenital defects, those who deal with cancer, childhood diabetes, immune deficiency diseases - and I thought didn't God make their organs and their body parts too? Of course, He did! It's "just the way THEY were made." Does this mean God is imperfect? No, it just means God allows imperfection - which is the result of an imperfect world & a gene pool of sinners!

It is hard to be thankful for an illness, an imperfection, unmet expectations, disappointment, seemingly unfair situations. And yet, God said IN EVERYTHING give thanks. He is strong in our weakness; He wants the glory in all. Today I am thankful - as ridiculous as it sounds - for broken ovaries. It would take me 10,000 blog entries to tell about my journey with PCOS and infertility and wanting more children and years of being angry and then searching for acceptance of God's will and having setbacks and regaining faith and the affects on my relationship with my husband and rejoicing in the children I do have and dealing with sorrow & disappointment and knowing joy and finding God's grace for it all. I am glad because it has led me to this day when I have realized that I truly can be thankful for EVERYTHING.

Dinner to be Thankful For!

I've found another recipe that is EASY & that my family liked! YEAH!! I'm finally getting the hang of this cooking thing. I mean, I can cook: spaghetti, tacos, hamburgers, mac and cheese, crock pot roast....but I want MORE than the usual! I want flavor and made-from-scratch (or close to scratch) meals! I want to look forward to cooking dinner each night instead of dreading it.

Today I tried a recipe I got off a blog I read (however, I don't know which one! I think it is a pretty generic recipe so I don't think I'm "stealing" it by not giving anyone credit for it). Shepherd's pie (also known as cottage pie) was supposedly originally created to use up left-overs back in the day when a family only had one piece of lamb's leg or a little bit of beef to use spread out over a whole week (I googled that fact).

Here's how I made it:

4 medium sized potatoes (I only had red ones), rinsed, scrubbed, and poked with a knife - put into the microwave for 12-15 minutes until soft & able to be mashed. Since I had red potatoes, I left the skins on. When soft, peel (optional) and mash potatoes with 3/4 cup milk (you might be able to add salt, sour cream, butter, cream cheese, etc. but I didn't).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

1 lb ground beef, browned - could add garlic or onions or whatever flavors you like. Drain fat.

Add some mixed veggies (I think de-thawed frozen ones would have been better but I only had a can of mixed veggies so I drained them & added them to the meat).

Add one can of diced, Italian tomatoes (I didn't drain them) to meat.

Bring to boil & simmer for a few minutes.

Put the meat mixture in a baking pan (9x11) and spread it evenly. Top with mashed potatoes. Drizzle about 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the potatoes.

Put in the oven for about 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted. And that's it!! Easy, yummy.

By the way, I know that sheep in real life are kind of dumb and even kind of dirty...but I just love sheep & lambs! I love what they symbolize - Christians who need a Shepherd! My babies' nursery theme was lambs -and I have a slew of verses that mean a lot to me as a result of considering that my babies were God's little lambs and how tenderly He cares for each of His children.

Perhaps my obsession with sheep has led to my enjoyment of making & eating this shepherd's pie today?!

So Much to be Thankful For!

It was a crazy mix of busy yet quiet at work today. Several people called or came by to inquire about the school. I actually ended up staying about 45 minutes past the time the office hours were over. I got a lot done, which is nice because I may not have to be back for 3 more days!! We scored an extra day off when a staff member offered to work for us on Thursday too since he had to do some work at the church anyway. Now there's something to be thankful for!

Other things I'm thankful for:
75 degrees outside and an evening at the park:

Andrew & Dan tossed the baseball while Anna and Bitty Baby explored the playground. I got to be the observer and the photographer.

~~~~~

Does God ever seem to want to get your attention about something by having that word, theme, or issue confront you over & over again, showing up in the least likely places?

That's how it's been for me as I've thought about God getting glory in weakness. I've finally decided some of my frustration with myself lies in the fact that I try to do too much in my own strength. When I admit I can't do what I need to do, God can step in and take care of it - usually without my intervention and conniving!

A friend left me a comment on my last post, "God's greatest strengths are found in our greatest weaknesses."

Then as I read my usual blogs today, I came across another reminder: "God uses our weakness for redemptive purposes."

Didn't the apostle Paul say God's strength is made PERFECT in weakness? Paul chose to glory in his infirmities that Christ would get the glory. He chose to embrace his infirmities.

(II Cor. 12: 9-10)

Instead of dwelling on and berating myself for my inadequacies, I wonder if I dwelt more on what God is doing rather than on what I am unable to do, that everything would seem less daunting. If I focus less on how weak I am, then I'd realize how STRONG God is, how WISE He is, and that He has everything under control. His grace is sufficient.

A Spring Break of Thankfulness

The Bible tells us that our enemies are (1) the world, (2) the flesh, and (3) the devil. I think I mostly fight with my own flesh, my will, and my expectations. Unfortunately, that means I can be really selfish - I assess things as they affect me and my plans only. I get jealous, frustrated, and anxious pretty easily. Some might say I'm also pessimistic - but I prefer to call it "being realistic". I hate disappointments, and I don't get over them quickly. It is something I work on in myself and in my children. I figure if they can learn to have a joyful spirit even in disappointment as children, perhaps they won't the difficult journey I have had in constantly fixing my attitude as my expectations aren't met. I find that if I'm THANKFUL and dwell on what I have and count my blessings that I don't feel so slighted by life, and my unrequited wishes aren't so important after all.

In an attempt to help myself enjoy this week of Spring Break with thankfulness and joy, I am going to dwell on the blessing I have, to remember how much I have been given, and how many privileges I've been allowed to have. What a wonderful way to enjoy the week ahead!

Today I am thankful for:
The Word of God. Our pastor is working on a series about the Bible and its origins. I had the privilege of typing his notes so I've already read his outlines and been able to think about the facts that he has given. The Word has been perfectly preserved through the ages like probably no other document! It is an amazing, living Book. It is as relevant today as it was when the inspired authors were given its words straight from the breath of God (inspired = "God breathed", II Timothy 3:16).

On a less "spiritual" list of my blessings today, I am thankful for spontaneous tea parties with my daughter.

I am thankful for a new season. Friday is the first day of Spring!! Hopefully sunnier days and warmer weather will cheer us all up! :) Spring flowers are coming - even though I forgot to plant my bulbs last fall - but I do have hopes of a lilac bush by my front door blooming.

(the tulips that grace my dining room table are obviously fake - but they do cheer me up!)

I am thankful when my children get along. We had an unexpected visitor to our tea party! Andrew joined us, and we all adopted ridiculous accents. I was the German, Andrew was the Brit, and Anna was -- well -- Anna, which is funny enough. What a jolly Tea Time! What are YOU thankful for today?

Spring Break & A Pity Party Averted

I didn't write a post on Friday - the first day I've skipped in a long time. I wanted to write, I read the blogs I usually read, but I decided it was in my best interest to NOT write what was on my mind, to share the spirit of negativity I was feeling (mostly because I was just plain, ol' TIRED from a long week), and to invite others to join in my pity party. That was a good choice because as they (whoever THEY are) say, things always look better in the mornig. And today I'm fine. I'm good. It's all gonna be ok.

I will give you a small glimpse into my thinking last night - but be reminded this isn't me today. This is so me-yesterday:

On Friday, I worked quite a lot in the school office - mostly alone in the afternoon - and as all the happy parents & students walked by me after the school day & as the teachers slowly left, they all (well, seemed like they ALL) lightly, with a smile, full of plans for their week off, said to me in passing, "Have a GREAT Spring Break." The ugly, selfish side of me kind of bristled; the pessimist in me wanted to shout back, "WHAT BREAK?!"; and I just generally felt like Cinderella. Silly, isn't it!?

You see, next week is Spring Break - and my kids won't have school; however, the office, because it is shared with the church, must remain functional. Life goes on there - people need help, bulletins and business still need to be taken care of, the UPS guy still comes by, phone calls still need to be made, and someone needs to be there to take are of it all. Because of a commitment I made 5 years ago, I am among those who take care of that.

So, Spring Break in the truest sense of the word is not what it used to be, which is part of my underlying struggle these last 5 years anyway: life is not what it used to be. HOWEVER, that said, it is what it SHOULD BE. This is the life God has for me, and His plan is best. :)

Last night, I thought back on "Spring Breaks Past" (when someone else was sitting in the office all week instead of going somewhere fun). When Andrew was in K4 (and Anna was 2 years old), Dan was deployed - he had just left us - and was actually in a plane flying to Kuwait over our Spring Break. He landed on the day that Operation Iraqi Freedom started, which was March 16, I think. Instead of facing those days of uncertainty alone, the kids & I got on a plane and went to Atlanta to be with my brother (who lived there) and to visit with my parents in Knoxville. They were there when I had my last phone call with Dan from his departure point in Texas; they were with me as we waited for word that Dan had made it to Kuwait safely (which I found out via an email from my good friend, who reads this blog, since her husband was the IT guy of the group and could get out information better than any! I still have that email in my scrapbook).

The next Spring Break (Andrew was in Kindergarten), Dan was newly home from the year long deployment. We booked a week in a hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas. We explored the old "Bath Houses", I got my first-ever pedicure, and there were so many interesting places to explore in that region. It was a true BREAK.

The next year, I was already a part-time secretary at the school/church - and I think I worked Spring Break so that the full-time secretary could go visit her family. Ironically, it was that visit that was her turning point to decide to quit her job and move closer to her kids! Maybe that's why they don't like the secretaries to go anywhere over Spring Break!!? (ha!!)

So, that was me LAST NIGHT. Today, I'm being thankful! And in fact, my whole theme for next week (just as the theme for this past week was "This is the Day") will be to BE THANKFUL for what I have.

~I'm thankful for quiet days to work in the office next week - a time to clean out files, sort through neglected paperwork, study the accounting and numbers without being interrupted a thousand times, etc.

~I'm thankful my kids can spend a full week at home, playing with the toys and things they don't always get to enjoy when we're so busy when school is in session.

~I'm thankful we have 2 full days off as a family (Tues & Wed) - we already have to go to the Lake of the Ozarks on Tuesday as I have a dr. appointment - so we'll get to do some shopping at the outlets, maybe eat out.

~I'm thankful because there are so many people who have full-time jobs who get NO breaks, none, never. They work long days every day. They don't work in a Christian environment. I am blessed to have a job that allows some down time at home quite often, especially now that I'm back to being a part-time employee.

Today I'm ok with Spring Break. Today is the BEST DAY of it because it is the FIRST DAY of the break - we still have 8 days of a slower schedule to look forward to, including the weekends.

It's going to be a GREAT WEEK! The office hours we do work are reduced so I can sleep in a little! :) It should still be restful. We'll be enjoying being home bodies to the fullest.

I have no Pity Party invitations to send out afterall. :)

Sports & Spirit

Thursday was "Sports Day" at our school. We cheer for several teams at our house:

BASEBALL: St. Louis Cardinals. In Southeast Iowa, Dan grew up listening to the "Cards" on the radio. When we first moved to Missouri and I heard and saw CARDINALS BASEBALL seemingly every day from April through October, I didn't think I liked that sport too much. Now I've been to a few games (two?) and gotten "to know" some of the players - and I actually LIKE baseball. Plus, if the Cardinals score 6 runs in a game, we get $ .25 slushies or drinks at our local Mobil on the Run!!

COLLEGE TEAMS: Tennessee Volunteers and Iowa Hawkeyes - representing the teams from our home states.

NFL: Indianapolis Colts (because of former Vol, Peyton Manning) and Arizona Cardinals (because of our "good friend" Kurt Warner - see picture of us with Kurt & Brenda - that was March '04 at a USO function where Dan was recognized for his service in Iraq.). :)

More than Just a Dishwasher Story

Farewell, Frigidaire. You lived with us for a brief year and a half. We appreciate your hard work, but now it is time to send you away to become something new in the form of scrap metal.
You have left us with a HUGE HOLE in our hearts and in our kitchen:

(ew, look at that 1988 original kitchen floor linoleum in there - ick...although my "new" 2004 linoleum isn't exactly my IDEAL floor either...but I'm satisfied. For now!). :)

Hello, new Kenmore dishwasher. You kind of look like my old Frigidaire - and in fact, for the same amount of money, you actually have LESS features but hopefully BETTER quality...however, after weeks of hand-washing dishes, I'm NOT complaining. You are all I need.

Welcome, Kenmore dishwasher. You have surely filled an empty place. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today is my "day off", and once again, I'm just thankful to be HOME. I'm not really "Spring Cleaning" today or doing much else except enjoying the subtle noise of my new dishwasher, doing laundry, and typing some notes (8 hand-written pages worth!) for my Pastor. I am thankful he lets me work from home some days - and I love being able to focus on what I'm typing and researching some of the words that need to be spelled just right: Septuagent?! Nope, Septuagint, in case you're wondering!! This is as close as I'll ever come to freelance copy editing, so I'm enjoying it. I just love words! That's why I love blogs!

Sometimes I think blogging and spending my time reading blogs might be a waste of time...but today as I again got caught up in other women's stories - and followed links from one blog to another, I am amazed at what some people do or what some go through! One blog I read was from a wife and mother who lives in Indonesia, and her husband is a missionary pilot! What an exciting life!! Other blogs are about women who have gone through horrendous situations: one lady had a baby born with a heart defect that survived a heart transplant at just WEEKS OLD! Now, this sweet mother has been diagnosed with a brain tumor! How much can one family take?! Apparently, as much as God gives them grace for.

One quote from CS Lewis that rings so true is, "God whispers in our pleasure, but shouts in our pain." Being a Christian doesn't spare us pain, it just gives up resources to endure the suffering with God's help and strength - not our own because we become so weak sometimes. It has been said that those who understand God the best have been hurt the deepest. It has been my conclusion that suffering is a tool God sometimes uses to see what we're made of, to test our motives, and to bring out our true selves. I know I have been SHOCKED by what is in me - ugly, bitter, angry feelings sometimes, a total lack of faith, and a refusal to accept God's will - that has come out when I've been put under pressure or into hard circumstances.

I am thankful God is longsuffering, though He must let us face our consequences sometimes. Reading some Christian women's blogs has exposed me to so many amazing women who are trying to do the same thing I am - serve the Lord with joy - though in their own unique ways. I am inspired to do more for my family (cook, clean, and nurture), love my husband better, and serve others more willingly. It has made me thankful for what I have - a home, a family, a church, health - and made me less afraid of things that scare me like cancer, a child dying, or letting go of yet another thing I hold dear. God gives enough grace at the right time to face anything. It is amazing to think He is right now giving me what I need for this moment, this phase of my life. Even little things like dishwashers...

We've Still Got Spirit

Our school's Spirit Week continued on Tuesday with Polka-Dot and/or Stripes Day.

Andrew had a striped shirt, polka-dot tie, and my most valiant effort at face painting. Anna's look cracks me up because we have a little secret! She had NOTHING with polka dots on it - so I remembered that this cute houndstooth jumper had a polka dot linining....so we turned the dress inside out - and VOILA!
Here's my family ready for the day! You can't see Dan's tie, but it had polka dots & his shirt actually had light stripes in it. He had some meetings that day, so he was keeping it subtle. Today (Wednesday) was Twin Day. Andrew and I had no ambition in finding a twin; however, Anna took initiative - and asked her teacher to be her twin! Anna is assertive that way! They brain-stormed and came up with these cute tshirts. They say "Tall Blonde" and "Little Blonde" (which was a goof because it was supposed to be SHORT Blonde instead of Little - since you'd rather say that than BIG instead of Tall!) :) Anna absolutely ADORES her teachers this year. She came to us 3 years ago as a first-year teacher - and Andrew was in her first class here. Both my kids thrived under her positive approach to teaching and her enthusiasm for making class interesting. She's moving on to teach at an international school in Korea soon - but we're thankful both our kids were able to have her for a 3rd grade teacher. Not only is she a great teacher, she's become a dear friend to our family.

Here are the MOST HANDSOME twins in the whole school (in my opinion, anyway!):

See what I mean about an interesting teaching style: today Anna's teacher took the 3rd graders out to the foyer so they could spread out and have a reading circle. The kids LOVED it!

Twins, fellow 3rd graders, and Anna's "oldest" friends (who have known her since she was 1 year old), Korban & McKenna: