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Jesus

2009-12-20T21:54:00.000-08:00

I have not blogged in FOR-E-VER. So here I am, with an update.

I could tell you about how work is going, or about our new house, or the remodeling we're doing...but I hate writing what feels like a yearly Christmas letter, so I'm gonna spare you. Instead, here's what's really been on mind:

Jesus.

I've been frustrated with life for a while. Mostly with my relationship with Jesus. I've often heard that "if you want to be close to God, you have to pursue Him daily through reading His word." I understand this...to a point. But I don't want another thing to do. I can't handle another holy requirement or item on my spiritual check-list when I already feel so drained. What I've realized is that I don't have to pray...or read my Bible...or go to church. I get to. I get to worship Jesus, and I get to respond to his pursuit of me! I get to participate in the work He's doing in me. I get to be a part of something Divine. I get to know Jesus!

My response to Jesus (and the way I'll continue to get to know Him better) will most likely be through reading His word and spending time with Him. But I can't handle any more of this "if only I read my Bible more often" crap.

New Computer

2009-08-04T12:29:00.001-07:00

Ordered a new Dell a couple of days ago because my old one was having issues. My old Dell died today literally 5 minutes before the FedEx guy dropped off the new one. Eerie…

So I am writing a blog from my new, shiny green laptop. It’s beautiful.

As for the old computer, not sure if I’ll even be able to get my files off of it…crossing my fingers.

RIP old Dell…and helloooo new Dell!!

Art on the Green

2009-07-31T00:08:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow marks the beginning of one of my favorite weekends of the summer...Art on the Green.

When I was younger, I used to volunteer at the information/t-shirt booth every year with my grandma. I have really fond memories of spending hours with her in that tiny booth, folding hundreds of brightly colored t-shirts. After the weekend was over, I got my own t-shirt, which was the highlight of the whole experience. The t-shirts are designed by local artists (sometimes kids) and voted on each year....so I used to collect the t-shirts in the summer, then spend the following year designing my own. I've always connected Art on the Green with my childhood...and my childhood aspirations to be an artist. I think that's why I love it so much.

So tomorrow, that's where I'll be...downtown hangin' at Art on the Green.

P.S. If you go, you have to check out the sand castle competition! So cool!

Law and Order

2009-07-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

Last night, Matt and I decided to make an ice cream run to Albertsons. (I had a coupon for a free pint of Starbucks ice cream so we thought we'd take advantage of it.) As we were walking inside, we passed this guy in his 20's who gave us both a really weird vibe. He looked like a normal 20-something kid...the gelled hair, tight shirt, cargo shorts, sunglasses type. But for some reason he gave us both a weird feeling. As he passed us, I looked back at him because of the weird feeling I got, and I saw him punch the seat of an old bike. He walked past it a few feet, then turned around, grabbed the bike, and rode away.

Even though I thought it was strange, I didn't really think he had stolen the bike. I couldn't imagine that he would have the "huevos" to steal it right in front of me, especially since I was turned around and staring at him.

When we got outside about 10 minutes later, a cashier and a disabled man were frantically running around looking for his missing bike. When I heard them talking I knew immediately what had happened. They had already called the cops, so I stuck around to give a description of the guy.

It sounds sick, but I was so excited about all of this(even though I felt really bad about the bike.) I was even more excited when the cop looked at me and said, "Thanks for sticking around...you gave us the exact description we need to catch this guy. If I find him I'm going to arrest him, and you'll be the main witness in this case. So we'll be calling you."

My superb visual memory had saved the day. I felt like I was on a TV show.

The other thing that was exciting was that the guy who stole the bike was spotted on Govt. Way just a few minutes before the cops showed up. So Matt and I spent about an hour driving around looking for him. We never found him, but I'm still hoping they catch him so the disabled man gets his bike back....and so I get to testify.

Stockholm Syndrome

2009-07-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

For a while now, I've been trying to figure out what's going on with Derek Webb and the controversy that's surrounded his latest album, "Stockholm Syndrome." So today, I did some undercover Google work to find out the latest news. Apparently, Derek Webb's label dropped him because of the "explicit" lyrics contained in his album, and for one song in particular (called "What Matters More".) I've read through the lyrics...and I actually really like them. The words are meant to grab people's attention, because the message (in my opinion) is one that desperately needs attention. Derek talks about the fact that Christians tend to focus on one or two issues while neglecting much larger issues going on in the world (poverty, etc.) Check out the lyrics below, and tell me what you think. Do you find them offensive?

What Matters More, by Derek Webb

You say you always treat people like you like to be
I guess you love being hated for your sexuality
You love when people put words in your mouth
'Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak

'Cause if you really believe what you say you believe
You wouldn't be so damn reckless with the words you speak
Wouldn't silently consent when the liars speak
Denyin' all the dyin' of the remedy

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

If I can tell what's in your heart by what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it's about
It looks like being hated for all the wrong things
Like chasin' the wind while the pendulum swings

'Cause we can talk and debate until we're blue in the face
About the language and tradition that he's comin' to save
Meanwhile we sit just like we don't give a shit
About 50,000 people who are dyin' today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

Also, here's an article about Derek's new album. Interesting read.

Fish.

2009-07-14T20:56:00.000-07:00

Recently, we inherited a family heirloom...a 1998 Mazda truck that used to belong to Matt's brother, then to his parents, and now has been passed down to us. I am extremely grateful for the inheritance considering we've been down to one car for a few months now. Besides being beat up, the truck is in pretty good condition. There was just one thing wrong with it that I noticed immediately upon its arrival: the large black and silver Jesus fish that was glued to the back bumper.

So today when I got home, I headed out with some tools and chipped the fake chrome fish right off. All that's left of the tacky thing is a sticky mark that sits right under the "Z" in Mazda.

Matt came outside as I was brutally pounding away and asked what my deal was with the fish. He got a long lecture from me about Christians in America and how they isolate themselves and create a sort of exclusive "club" through the use of Christian Supply T-shirts, bumper stickers, and, most of all, that famous silver fish. I told him that not only would I NEVER drive a car with a Jesus fish on it, but I didn't even want it sitting next to our house.

Anyway, the rampage seems a bit silly now that I am looking back. I guess I am sometimes over-passionate about certain things. Still, I hate that blasted fish.

The end.

Celebrity

2009-07-13T14:57:00.001-07:00

I've had vh1's "Celebirty Eye Candy" playing on the TV in the background today while I've been painting, and it's made me think....how would I be perceived if I were a celebrity?

And here's the conclusion I came to: people would for sure think I'm nuts. I couldn't handle being photographed constantly 'cause I'm so unaware of what's going on around me and who's watching.

In high school, I used to get made fun of for picking my wedgies all the time (which I still do...it's a habit.) I'd pick them by putting my hand down my pants (yes, I realize how that sounds) and releasing the wedgy. Obviously that is not behavior you want photographed for all of America to see. I've also been caught pickin' my nose on multiple occassions, plus I'm generally spacy and tend to zone out...which makes for some awesome and extremely photogenic facial expressions.

And if all that wasn't enough, I have chronic crack syndrome....my butt crack is always hangin' out of my jeans.

Anyway, glad that I'm not a celeb for the moment. I'd have the worst paparrazzi pictures EVER.

2009-07-09T23:35:00.000-07:00

I am currently going through my quarter-life crisis. I don't know that most people go through one of those, but I've definitely reached that place. Lately I've just felt so.....old. I feel like all year all I did was go to work and talk about work. I miss having hobbies...it's been a pattern of mine to become really attached to a hobby, then obsess over it for a while, then move on to a different hobby. It means that I never really get good at anything, but it also means I try lots of different things and find lots of fun ways to fill my time. I have so many interests and so many things I love to do. Right now, since I don't have a job, I am really feeling a need to rekindle some of my hobbies. This year I was so focused on my job that all of my hobbies and activities went by the wayside. I think I'll feel less old if I can start up some of my past loves. :). So here's a list of things I want to re-start doing this summer:

1. Yoga
2. Painting (we're putting together a mini studio in the basement!)
3. Drawing
4. Writing
5. Rock climbing
6. Camping/backpacking
7. Reading (for pleasure, not information)
8. Playing my guitar
9. Snowboarding (in the winter...we didn't go all season last year!)
10. Being social (I miss having BBQs or going climbing with big groups of people.)

So that's it. I know it sounds like an ambitious list...but I'm not trying to be a pro at any of those things. Just hoping to feel like a 25 year old again. :)

Creation

2009-07-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

I just woke up to greet our last day in San Francisco. (We leave early tomorrow for seattle.). I have had such an incredible time here...it makes me miss living in the city. Most of all, I've been in awe of God this week...the way he displays his glory through his creation and, most significantly, the way he is glorified through his greatest creation....people. One of the things I love about cities is the amount of diversity and talent there is. It always amazes me. Yeah, people are messed up...but they also are still a part of God's creation, and can display his glory in some pretty awesome ways.

Grace

2009-06-28T21:52:00.000-07:00

Here I am, humbled by the love that you give

Forgiven so that I can forgive...

...Your grace has found me just as I am

Empty handed but alive in your hands

Love those words.

And I've been dwelling on them lately. Forgiveness is something I've really been struggling through for the past few years, but especially in the last couple of months. What's funny is I don't think I realized it was really an issue of mine until recently.

My prayer lately has been that I will be able to experience the truth in the words

"forgiven so that I can forgive."

Cheesy Song of the Week

2009-06-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

This song embodies my frustrations with the American Christian church. Uggghhh....

"....the little church that I attend, and for all my Christian friends...God has been so good to me...."

God has been good to me....but not just because He's given me Christian friends and a little church. God doesn't call us to protection or isolation...He calls us to engage our culture in real relationships, both with ourselves and with Jesus.

Check it out and see what you think. (Two versions below.)

so good to me songs
Mp3 download | Music download

Last Day

2009-06-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

Today is truly bittersweet. I've been a mess today. I wrote a note to my first graders below....I won't actually read it to them, but it's where my heart is right now. :)

Dear First Graders,

This year has been amazing. You have taught me so much about myself as a person, a friend, and a teacher. I have grown to love you way more than I ever thought I would. I have watched you grow in tremendous ways, and have seen God use you in my life continually.

My prayer for you is that you continue to learn and grow in who you are, that God reveals Himself to you, that you allow Him to radically change your heart, and that you know life abundantly through Jesus. I pray that the hard work we spent this year on learning to read will open a door for you to be able to read God's word, and that through reading you would come to know Him personally.

I will miss you tons! It's been an amazing year.
-Mrs. King

Haiku

2009-06-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

Friendship Day

2009-06-04T11:41:00.001-07:00

It's "Friendship Day" today in first grade....we're spending the day hanging out, talking about our best 1st grade memories, and making things for each other (friendship bracelets, best friend awards, etc.) Yes, it's cheesy...but I think it's a cool way to celebrate the end of the year.

Anyway...Frienship Day has got me thinking about my own friendships. I'm really thankful for the friendships in my life, especially the ones I can be real with. That's a huge gift, and a rare one.

So here's to awesome friends (you know who you are!) :)

Happy Friendship Day!

Pianos

2009-06-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

Ahem....

A poem:

Pianos

Pianos. Beautiful Music.

Pianos, Pianos, beautiful sounds.

If you don't have one then go get one!

Oh beautiful sounds around the world are great.

Oh man, when will I ever get my piano?

Oh who in the world could not love piano's music?

The world just doesn't know all the beautiful music from pianos!

The world has some beautiful music. I hope it stays like that.

Hello again. Well, let's get back. Pianos, pianos, the pianos in the world.

The music that I like is the music that is from pianos.

I love pianos, pianos, pianos.

Oh, the music, the beautiful music that is caused by pianos.

I love the music that is caused by pianos.

The End

-Ethan G., 1st grade

Forever

2009-05-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

Even though the heart
Always seems to change
There is still a love
A love that stays the same

Forever You will always be
Our God on high, the Lord in me
The King of hope, the Lord of love
The Prince of peace, the Lamb of God

Lyrics from a song we sang this morning....I've heard it so many times but God spoke to me through this song in a new way today. My heart does always seem to change....and I am so grateful for a Father that is constant...that was, and is, and will always be.

Not only is Jesus forever our God on High, but he also chose to be our Lamb of God so that we could know him forever....wow.

Mr. Driscoll

2009-05-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

So we just got back from a long weekend in Matt's hometown...Idaho Falls, ID. Matt and I spent almost all of our time in the car to and from Idaho Falls (8 hours each way) listening to Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church. A while back we listened to his series on spiritual warfare and it really made both of us think and spurred on some great conversation. Normally I would go nuts listening to five hours of sermons from one dude, but this guy seems to capture my attention for some reason.

I don't agree with everything he says, but I definitely think he's an amazing teacher.

Yesterday we listened to Mark's series on Song of Songs, and we both grew so much during our eight hour car ride home. We kept pausing the message to talk about our own marriage and how the teaching applied to our lives. It was so cool to see God use that car ride to strengthen our marriage....and all day today I've been thinking about how lucky I am to be married to my husband. :) If you want to check out the series, it's totally worthwhile. Here's the link:

The Peasant Princess - Mars Hill

Fun 1st Grade Spellings

2009-05-19T12:02:00.001-07:00

Sometimes my favorite part of the day is reading all the crazy ways kids spell words. Can you decipher these common words and phrases? (It's fun...like a puzzle in the newspaper...I'll put the answers at the bottom.)

stum a cake

kceingdome

tomaro

buteaful

peannoes

regyuller

bkeenee

gronups

prtektif

skalluatins

Did you figure them out?

Here are the answers:
stomachache, kingdom, tomorrow, beautiful, pianos, regular, bikini, grown-ups, protective, skeletons

Pretty inventive, eh?

Wedding

2009-05-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

So tomorrow we head down to Idaho Falls to watch Matt's sister Steph get hitched. Here's what I'm excited about:

1. No work for 6 days in a row.
2. Spending time with my hubby.
3. Spending time with our family.
4. Watching two people start an amazing journey together...I know, I'm sappy, but I do think it's awesome.

Here's what I'm not excited about:

1. No first graders for 6 days in a row. (I really am going to miss them and only have a couple weeks left to hang out with them!)
2. Being in Idaho Falls when it's supposed to be 75 degrees here all weekend.
3. Riding in a car for 16 hours.

I'm still mostly excited though. :)

I love you. --Michael Jackson

2009-05-17T22:51:00.001-07:00

This is why I think Michael Jackson is capital-A Amazing. Do you have crazy awesome moves like those? If the answer is no then you have no reason to not be amazed by him as well. Plus, in his new No. 1 Hits album he has a whole page dedicated to thanking the people who've helped him get where he is today. And he ends each personal note with the words "I love you, Michael Jackson". If that's not amazing I don't know what is.

Haha.

I feel.....pleasant

2009-05-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

You know those days that are just awesome for no apparent reason? Like, you feel on top of the world all day and can't help smiling because you're so excited about....nothing? Yeah....today is one of those days. I love it.

Maybe it's the whole Friday, sunshine thing. Whatever it is, I'm feeling pretty good about life today.

Job!

2009-05-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

Just found out that I get to sign my contract for next year sometime next week! Good news....I have a job and I (most likely) get to stay where I'm at. My day just got a whole lot better.

Writer's Block

2009-05-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Today I had a little boy who could not for the life of him come up with anything to write about. I tried having him draw a brainstorm web. We talked about all the possibilities of things he could write about. Still, nothing. He sat for almost an hour looking really frustrated. So I came up with a brilliant idea (if I do say so myself.) I found a gel pen in my desk and announced to the whole class that I had been waiting to introduce my magic pen to them all year.

"The time has come for me to introduce you to the writer's block pen. This pen has magical abilities, and whoever holds it will be flooded with ideas for their writing. Today I'm going to give it to Zach."

All the kids watched in awe as he took the pen. He started smiling and immediately started writing. Hahaha....it's so funny that I can trick them so easily!

Anyway, it made me smile. I'm really going to miss these kids.

Lunch Blog

2009-05-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

I just ate half a can of beans and some tomato soup for lunch. Ugghhh...It definitely left a weird feeling in my stomach.

Back to work!

iPhone Blog

2009-04-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

So this is our little iPhone's first blog ever. I'm sitting in calypsos watching matt tutor my friend Allie. She's preparing to test out of her math 108 class in two weeks so we're trying to make that happen.

Allie's husband Jesse has an iPhone so this morning at breakfast we spent a good half hour looking up people's criminal records. Allie and I both looked up our high school boyfriends..hers had two traffic violations....mine had two burglary charges and a grand theft charge. But, I'm proud to say that I had the longest record of everyone we looked up...10 cases...including "parking in a disability space" (which apparently is a big deal,) "failure to follow traffic direction," and two driving without privileges cases. Yikes.

In my defense, I've been clean since 2004. Yes, I am proud.

Poems

2009-04-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a few poems that my first graders wrote recently:

Fall
By: Janna

Fall
Windy Autumn
Leaves Falling Slowly
Golden Leaves
Fall

Panda
By: Avery

Panda
Cute and Fuzzy
Munching on Bamboo
Sleeping, Climbing
Happy
Funny
Panda

Jets
By: Ethan

Jets
Rumbling Planes
Rumbling Sounds, Floating Above
Landing Down
Cool
Rumbling
Jets

Flowers
By: Brooklyn

Flowers
Colorful Roses
In the Spring
A Flower Grows
But in the Winter
It Closes Up
Flowers

I thought they were pretty impressive. :)

www.playingforchange.com

2009-04-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

Check out the website....such a cool idea. Street musicians from around the world.

Jokes

2009-04-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

On days that one of my first graders has a birthday we hold "comedy hour" while they're eating their cupcakes.

Here's the joke of the day:

First grader: "Mrs. King....I have a joke....what's 2 +2?"
Mrs. King: "Ummm.....4?"
First Grader: "Bacon!" (hysterical laughter.....)

Seattle --> San Diego

2009-04-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

I just found a flight from Seattle to San Diego for $117 round trip. Anyone wanna go with me? I'm tempted to buy a ticket right now and leave the day after school gets out. I'd love to lay by the beach for a few days.

Hmmmm.....

Sickness

2009-03-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

So a little while back I was trying to explain to someone that I sort of like being sick. I know it doesn't make sense....it doesn't even really make sense to me. But something about being sick makes me feel alive. I almost never take drugs when I'm sick or hurt....not even Tylenol.

Some might call that masochistic. I don't know.....

Derek Webb has this song that I always think about when I'm sick....here's the chorus:

I don’t want medication

just give me liberation

even if it cuts my legs right out from underneath

don’t give me medication

I want the real sensation

even when living feels just like death to me

I realize that the song isn't really talking about having a cold....still, I love the lyrics....and being sick reminds me of the song, which reminds me of my freedom in Jesus and the "life to the full" he promises. Check out the rest of the song here: Medication by Derek Webb.

On that note, there is one sickness I DO NOT like. It's called pink eye. And it's exactly what I have come down with as of this morning. I finally broke down and went to urgent care after I could barely open my eyes because the light hurt them so much. I got some antibiotics, and now I'm at home. Ugh......

Hopefully this stuff takes care of itself before we leave for Vegas. (2 days!)

Thanks

2009-03-18T15:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I have this weird phenomena occur that makes me really want to believe in Sigmund Freud's theories. It has to do with my "unconscious." Basically, Freud believed that most of our experiences -- our feelings, thoughts, ideas, etc. -- are not driven by our conscious thoughts but rather what lies beneath -- our unconscious.

The term "Freudian slip" refers to this phenomena....and it seems it happens to me often. Something inappropriate will slip out of my mouth completely unexpectedly when I meant to say something else. (Freud believed this applied primarily to our sexual impulses.....I hope not.)

Anyway, here's what happened today. I was trying to check my e-mail and went to the address bar to begin typing. As I typed, I started to space out. When I looked up, I had typed the word "thankfulness." ?????? Weird, I know. Not sure how it happened.....I was trying to type in the address for Yahoo.

Honestly, I think what's really going on here has less to do with Freud and more to do with what God's trying to say to me. I have been complaining a LOT recently, about....well....everything. I think God was bringing my attention to the issue, and bringing my focus back to Him.

Isn't it awesome that we have a personal God who is constantly pursuing and romancing us? I love that....and I am completely thankful for it.

Goat Milk??

2009-03-17T15:24:00.001-07:00

Today I watched as one of my first graders looked at a "got milk?" sign in confusion. He was holding up the lunch line so I told him to keep moving. When I noticed that he didn't pick up milk like he usually does, I asked why. He pointed to the sign and said, "Wellllll....I don't drink goat milk." Hahaha....made me laugh.

Good thing he's learned to read so well this year......

My Name's Sarah, and I'm a Perfectionist.

2009-03-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

I'd love to say that I don't care at all about what people think of me...in fact, I do say that sometimes....but it's so far from the truth.

Last night Matt and I were talking about the fact that I have a really hard time taking any sort of criticism, especially when it has to do with my job. I have this annoying disorder called perfectionism, and it tends to flare up at work most often. Because of this, I am uber sensitive to criticism, and even get hurt when I feel a lack of positive praise from my bosses. I care so much -- way too much -- about how I am perceived at work. I let small comments or events completely ruin my day. I have been constantly dwelling on something my principal said a couple of days ago. And the crazy thing is, the comment was pretty minuscule, and was something I already know about myself. (Had to do with my organization skills.....)

So I guess my point here is that I'm really trying to let go of my need to be perfect at work. I need to realize that it's necessary to be critiqued and challenged. And I need to stop dwelling on what people think about me (or what I think people think about me.) It's literally driving me nuts.

High School

2009-03-01T00:40:00.000-08:00

The thing I hate about Coeur d'Alene is that I grew up here, and I can't help but constantly run into people from high school.

I've changed SO much since high school -- sometimes I feel like I need to say that to people when I run into them. But most of the time I just avoid those people and hope I don't have to do the whole small talk thing. (I hate small talk more than most people...even though I'm often guilty of using it in these awkward situations.)

I especially hate running into girls from high school -- 'cause girls look you up and down and ask really ridiculous pointed questions in order to compare how far they've come in their lives with where you're at. I guess it's especially obvious to me because I read into people's motives so much...but it really drives me nuts.

Ok, this rant is over. I love Coeur d'Alene, and for the most part, I loved high school...but sometimes I miss being in a place where no one knows who you are. :)

P.S. I was forced to watch Mamma Mia for the SECOND time last night....that is the most ridiculous movie I've ever seen.

Do I sound angry tonight or what? :)

Smorgosblog

2009-02-27T16:10:00.000-08:00

I just spent $1,000 in an hour on school supplies with my first grade teaching team. I wish I could shop like that all the time. We seriously spent $113 on metallic crayons, and another $350 on racks to dry paintings on. Because we're a PYP school, we have a budget allotment of $1,000 to use on creative supplies for our classrooms. Kinda fun.

This weekend, I have to finish moving our ~~crap~~ stuff out of our old place. Then I have to clean the entire place top to bottom. No big deal. :)

I am so not looking forward to finishing up this moving process. I wish Matt were here to help me....but he's at state....they're doing really well, by the way.

I definitely got myself into this mess by convincing Matt to put off the cleaning and packing for a few days so we could spend more time together before he went to state. It's definitely my fault that I have a ridiculous amount to do....I just wish I could put it off a few more days....

Oh well.

Before I delve into cleaning, I'm going to Pilgrim's to buy groceries. I'm not buying all of our groceries, just some, 'cause that place is for yuppies who can spend $6.00 on a box of cereal. But I do like some of their stuff...especially their apples and milk.

I found this online recently...it's a list of items "they" say you should definitely buy organic:

1. Baby Foods: A 1995 report found 16 pesticides in approximately half the non-organic baby food samples.

2. Rice: In California, rice fields have been sprayed with so much pesticide that the groundwater has become contaminated.

3. Strawberries: 500 pounds of pesticide an acre is sprayed on non-organic strawberries.

4. Cereal grains: 90% of tested non-organic wheat cereals were found with pesticides according to a 1994 U.S. Food and Drug Administration report.

5. Corn products: Processed foods containing corn (e.g. popcorn and corn chips) were among the top 15 foods most likely to expose children to unsafe doses of organophosphate pesticides.

6. Bananas: Non-organic bananas from Central and South America are produced using benomyl (linked to birth defects) and chloropyrifos (neurotoxin).

7. Green Beans: A 1993 report found that 7 percent of the non-organic beans imported from Mexico contained residues of illegal pesticides.

8. Peaches: A recent US report stated that 5% of the non-organic peach crop was TOO contaminated for children to eat.

9. Apple juice: Non-organic apple juice ranks second highest for organophosphate residues.

10. Grapes and raisins: They very well may be the most pesticide polluted fruit in North America.

The end.

P.S. Isn't that blog title creative? Like a smorgosbord of thoughts in a blog....a smorgosblog...haha.

Kittens, Inspired by Kittens!

2009-02-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

I really don't like cats...but this made me laugh. Mostly cause it's just weird.

Capone's and Jesus

2009-02-23T12:54:00.000-08:00

Matt and I had an awesome conversation Saturday night over beer at Capone's. :) We talked about both our frustrations and joys as Christians...and what I realized is that sometimes, while I complain about others losing sight of the "big picture," I myself lose sight of that same "big picture" -- that Jesus is constantly pursuing a deeper relationship with us, and that we, because of His amazing love, can't help but respond. (Well...at least that's part of the big picture...the part I've been thinking about lately.)

To be perfectly honest, I've been frustrated lately with the questions at my growth group. So many of them seem to be "me" focused -- "What have you done lately to encourage others", etc. Here's my issue with those types of questions: there is nothing in me that naturally desires to bring glory to anybody but myself. There is nothing in me that does good. Before we know Jesus, all of our actions are worthless. I can do nothing to please God.

I realize that now that I know Jesus, my actions are worth something, and they can bring glory to God. But this is only because of the work the Holy Spirit is doing in and through me.

So I guess my point here is that a better question might be "How is God working through you to encourage others?" or "How has the Holy Spirit been evident in your life lately?" Those types of questions I can totally understand answering -- those questions are all about reflecting on God's goodness...not my own.

Just been pondering a lot lately I guess....am I being picky here, or does this resonate with anyone else?

V-Day

2009-02-13T12:53:00.000-08:00

Just got done with a first grade Valentine's Day party - crazy, but so fun.

We now have a "caring tree" in our class -- the kids put kind notes on the tree that are meant for the whole class to read -- things like "this is the best class ever" and "I love everyone in this class with all my heart." I did this for my benefit more than anything - I've been putting a note on the tree every day to remind myself why I am a teacher. I want my first graders to experience the love of Jesus through me.

Anyway, Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you get to spend the day with the people you care about the most.

As for me, I will be spending the day with three other couples....in a cabin....in the middle of nowhere....

Haha.

Stimulus

2009-02-12T15:48:00.000-08:00

This video breaks down what the new stimulus package will go towards...thought it was interesting:

Stimulus Bill

Chemistry Lesson of the Day

2009-02-12T11:49:00.000-08:00

GNC vanilla whey protein powder and boiling water make a disgusting, sour, curled substance.

Way better with orange juice.
FYI.

Love this...

2009-02-05T20:18:00.000-08:00

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus clear the road to you! And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-3

One final word, friends. We ask you—urge is more like it—that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance. You know the guidelines we laid out for you from the Master Jesus. God wants you to live a pure life.

--The Message

Rest

2009-02-05T19:53:00.001-08:00

I left worship practice tonight because I feel like junk...physically especially, but mentally and emotionally too.

So I'm spending some time alone with God tonight. A friend prayed for me as I was leaving and asked that God would "breathe life into me"....I feel like those are exactly the words I needed. I feel lifeless right now.

Without getting into much detail, I've felt this crazy sense of spiritual warfare in my life lately. And because of it, I've bought into the lie that I am completely unworthy and unrighteous in the eyes of God. While I may be unworhty...unrighteous...unholy....I've been meditating for the last couple of weeks on the fact that because of JESUS, God considers me worthy and righteous.

So tonight, I'm resting in God, and in the fact that I am holy and blameless in His sight.

Wow.

Top 10 of the Week

2009-02-04T15:47:00.000-08:00

So I'm starting a weekly top ten list....this is week #1. Maybe there will be a week #2 -- we'll have to see.

Top Ten of the Week:

Top 10 Most Embarrassing Facts About Myself

1. I shave about 5 times a year. It's a rare and special occasion if I bring out the razor.

2. I get extreme motion sickness on planes and carnival rides. I have thrown up at the fair more times than I can count.

3. I pick my nose.

4. I sing in the car at the top of my lungs all the time -- and then forget to stop when I get out and am walking through a parking lot. Really....I don't realize I'm singing until someone looks at me and laughs.

5. I have bladder stress incontinence, which basically means that if I say I've gotta go....I've really gotta go.

6. When I get out of really hot hot tubs, my skin turns bright red with large purple spots. For this reason I don't really like "hot tubbing" with people -- I look like I'm having an extreme allergic reaction, and people are always shocked by it.

7. I hate taking showers. I have to force myself to take them. They seem like a waste of time.

8. I don't know many people that could handle living with me. I'm the messiest person I've ever met.

9. I love watching The Hills. I watch it online....sometimes on my lunch break. It's probably the girliest thing about me.

10. I like spying on my cousins through facebook and myspace. I try to keep tabs on them and figure out if they're partying. A little creepy.....

I almost didn't post this....but then I decided to. However, I did take out a couple things that were really embarrassing and not meant for the world wide web. Haha.....

New House

2009-01-31T01:31:00.001-08:00

It's 1:30 in the morning and I can't get to bed because my mind is bombarded with decorating thoughts for our new house.

I'm super excited to move...super super excited. But I'm not so excited about the Taco Time tile in the bathroom....or the avocado green linoleum in the kitchen.....or the 1970's oak cabinets. Those things have got to go. My first mission is the cabinets, only because those are the easiest to fix. I may try and tackle the Taco Time tile soon, too....I'm trying to figure out if I can paint the tile instead of having to rip it out. Anyone know anything about painting tile?

So here's what I'm most excited about right now: green (as in eco-friendly) wallpaper. I found wall paper that comes in 12"x 12" squares and is made from 100% recycled paper. Not only that, but it's 3D! And you can paint it.....check it out:

MioCulture Wallpaper

I can't wait to be out of an apartment, and in downtown Coeur d'Alene instead of in the backyard of the Flying J. It will be SO nice to only have to drive ten minutes to work....and to be able to have Jude finally live with us again. I'll trade inconvenience for 70's decor any day of the week.

Comedy hour

2009-01-30T15:33:00.001-08:00

Such a good day today -- it's crazy how connected you can become with 6 and 7 year olds...but I feel like they are my own kids sometimes. I had so much fun with them today.

One of my classroom moms brought ice cream in for the class because she noticed how well behaved they were today. (It's a rare occasion, so we had to celebrate.) :) So while we were eating ice cream, I let my kids do "Comedy Hour" - they each got to stand up and tell a joke.

So here are some of my favorites:

Q: Why was the baby ant so confused?
A: Because all of his uncles were ants.

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Poop! (Yeah, that kid obviously didn't get the memo about "appropriate jokes")

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Donut.
Donut who?
Donut.....donut.....donut be late! (Made up on the spot...I was impressed.)

And the winner of comedy hour....

"Oh no, the boss is praying." ????? (I don't get it, but I still thought it was hysterical. Probably something she heard on TV. Haha....)

Weird Day

2009-01-26T17:14:00.001-08:00

Weird day today....anyone else think something is in the air? All day I just felt off....

When I took psych. in college we talked about mood changes -- and how psychologists have found that there are certain days where you just wake up feeling crappy for no reason at all. Nothing particularly bad happens to make your mood go sour -- but you're just in a funk all day. Some have predicted that it has something to do with the moon phases, or changes in barometric pressure...I don't know, but I am definitely having one of those days. It's hard not to blame everything and everyone around me for my bad mood -- but in all reality, the day has been very average...even enjoyable. Hopefully this mood will pass.

Off to put my sweats on and relax!

Favorites

2009-01-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

These are a few of my fav-o-rite things....

fruit roll-ups
flip flops
bottled water (I know, I know...it's bad for the enviornment)
our green scooter
swimming in the lake in August (Matt lies on an intertube while I kick around the lake for hours. He's not a swimmer.)
yoga
potatoes
Ben Harper
old jeans
charcoal drawing
Seattle weekend road trips and sleeping in the back of the car
Blue C sushi (Spyder roll...mmm...)
real fire places
the first snow
three day weekends
down pillows
fall
staying up late
The Hills (yes, I am embarassed)
camp fires
backpacking (but only if we don't have to go more than 3 miles with our packs)
soy lattes
riding my bike downtown with Matt in the summer
The 4th of July
adventures with my husband

I wrote this list of favorite things after having a conversation with Matt about my least favorite thing: cleaning. I've been attempting to clean all day....I've also been distracted all day and have gotten almost nothing done. WHat can I say, I'm an ENFP. Here is an excerpt from a website on ENFPs that I think describes me quite accurately:

"Because ENFPs live in the world of exciting possibilities, the details of everyday life are seen as trivial drudgery. They place no importance on detailed, maintenance-type tasks, and will frequently remain oblivous to these types of concerns. When they do have to perform these tasks, they do not enjoy themselves. This is a challenging area of life for most ENFPs, and can be frustrating for ENFP's family members."

So true.

The Inaugural Address - First Grade Style

2009-01-20T12:27:00.000-08:00

Be inspired:

"Dear Americans,
I will make peace and I will make freedom and I will make liberty and as president I hope for freedom for every American, even tan, white, and brown, no matter if you are white."

"I want to make everyone have what they need and have beautiful stuff like water fountains and houses! And maybe even clean water and food. I hope to have peace! I love everyone in the whole wide world no matter what. "

"I do not care what you look like. I want to end the war. Martin Luther King worked hard..he is my brother. I want freedom for this country and people!"

"I hope for peace because it is hurting people! I hope people would destroy gadgets! The gadgets hurt people. Gadgets are bombs and guns."

I think I have some future presidential candidates in my midst. Haha.

Robyn and George King: Still in Their Prime

2009-01-17T10:47:00.001-08:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

First Grade and My Purpose

2009-01-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

So in my classroom, I've "hired" all my kids to do classroom jobs. (Lunch count manager, recycling coordinator, sanitation department, etc.) My decisions were based on their personality, strengths, and interests. The kids love doing their jobs -- and it's rare that I have to remind them what it is, or that something needs to get done. They are so proud when they are used throughout the day for a purpose. And when I assign new tasks or jobs to them, they beam with delight. In fact, just yesterday one of my boys looked at me while fulfilling his duties as recycling coordinator and said, "You definitely hired the right person for this job! I'm really good at recycling coordinator, huh Mrs. King?"

I write this because I've been thinking a lot lately about purpose -- specifically, the purposes God has for me. I know that in the "classroom of life," God has specific jobs for me -- a purpose designed perfectly for me based on my strengths, personality, and interests. The issue is that I feel a little lost at times as to what these specific purposes are. And I think that's because, unlike 6 year olds, I don't always see myself in the light God sees me. My first graders will happily tell you that they are great at their job -- and they have no doubts that they they are the best person for that job. I think if I were more willing to believe that God truly has created me with amazing and unique gifts, I might be able to see my purpose more clearly.

Just something I've been pondering lately. I love that God uses first graders to move in my life. :)

My friend, Mike Steve

2009-01-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

I received the following e-mail from 'Mike Steve" today:

ATTENTION!! Now we have arranged your payment of($1.5million) one millions five hundred thousand dollar in ATM payment card to be sent to you through western union money transfer payment,Your payment will be sending to you by western union, the amount you will be receiving per day is $5,000,The minister trust funds of Benin Republic will send to you the currently standards track details you need to pick up your payment by western union, you will be receiving ($5,000) every day till you receive the $1.5million dollar, now no need of sending you this ATM card because you can not be able to withdraw with it due to the huge amount the ATM master card contains.The director administrator trust funds have already signed your payment, however, kindly contact the below person who is in position to release your payment by western union. Mr. Aminu Romson, western union department Financial Bank Benin,Mobile: (+229)9318-4753(western.unionmoneytrensfer@live.fr) The financial western union payment canter has been mandated to issue out your payment and you have to stop any further communication with any other person(s)or office(s) to avoid any hitches in receiving your payment.Note that the administrator payment need this detailsfrom you to process your payment:Receiver name---Country---City----Tel----Test question-----Answer---Age--Sex---ID--Comply now because as soon as you sent this required details to Mr. Aminu Romson,he will start sending your payment by western union.Regards,Barr,steve mike

I could barely read the e-mail in the first place...but after stuggling through it, I had to wonder....do people really fall for this stuff? Hahaha....oh man, I hope not.

Also funny that the e-mail was from Mike Steve but was signed Steve Mike. I think they just chose two common American names and put them together randomly. Cracks me up.

I heart....structure????? (What???)

2009-01-12T12:27:00.000-08:00

As much as I loved my winter break, I am so glad to be back at school and on a normal schedule. It's sort of nice to have some structure....never thought I'd say that!

I have been so proud of my first graders lately. It's like something "clicked" over break...I don't really get it, but I am definitely grateful. We have our big standardized reading test coming up next week....the IRI. (Dun, dun, dunnnn......) Pretty stressful, because so much rests on those stupid standardized tests these days. Hopefully they'll perform well and make me look good. :)

On a separate note, I talked to my principal today about the possibility of me being out of a job next year. Luckily she said she doesn't think that will happen....let's hope. The economy is really in the crapper right now. (I'm so lady-like...)

That is all.

AAAAHHHHHHH

2009-01-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was awesome....but today....not so much.

I left our house at 6:45 with an armload of stuff for the "Winter Party" we had at school today. Matt had already started my car for me to warm it up, so the keys were in the ignition. When I opened the passenger side door to load the car, my arms were so full that I had to throw my hip into the door to swing it open fully. Upon doing so, I apparently hit the automatic lock button. When I closed the door again, I ended up locking myself out -- along with my purse, wallet, cell phone, and boots.

I spent about 30 minutes looking for an alternate set of keys. When I found some that I thought looked like a match, I went and tried them in the subaru. Once again...disaster. I twisted the key too hard and it broke off in the lock. At this point, I'm freaking out because I know Matt usually doesn't answer his phone in the morning, and a locksmith usually takes a good couple of hours to get to your car. But I decided to walk to good ol' Howard Johnson Inn and use their phone anyway. I called Matt at around 7:20 and THANK GOODNESS he answered his phone. He came to my rescue and saved the day....which was very nice, considering it made him and me late to work today.

On the way back from the HoJo, I slipped and fell on the ice. I was so mad....I was swearing under my breath all the way home.

My boss wasn't thrilled with the fact that I wasn't there on time and they couldn't get ahold of me. Luckily they called Matt and he explained the situation. (Once again, he saved the day.) The whole incident sort of made for a hectic day.

Even though the day started off crappy, it seems to be turning out alright. (I'm going to The Porch with some work friends in a few minutes to de-stress.) It's days like this that really make me think about what (or who) I'm letting rule my life -- my current circumstances, or Jesus.

Anyway, it's Friday! Yay!!

Birthdays and Free Things

2009-01-08T11:48:00.000-08:00

So I've been researching all of the free stuff you can get for your birthday from various venders. Pretty awesome...I never knew! I could spend all night eating free dessert if I wanted too. But here's the free things I've contemplated taking advantage of this year:

Free oil change at Auto Zone
Free Cold Stone ice cream (my favorite ice cream...mmmm....)
Free movie rental at Hollywood Video
Free coffee mug from Krispy Kreme
Free burrito from QDoba
Free burger from Red Robin (a gardenburger, perhaps)

I won't get to most of that stuff...in fact, I won't get to any of it most likely. But I still like the idea of getting free stuff. Makes my birthday seem even more special.

Today's been awesome....my mom brought brownies to my first graders and me. My grandma came in and brought me a lucky bamboo plant (which the first graders were very impressed by..."It's luckyyyy!!!! I think it has magic!") My first graders spontaneously broke into song (the happy birthday song, naturally) while we were eating snack. And Heather Olds sang me (and some random hospital staff members) the best rendition of Happy Birthday I've ever heard.

Awesome day so far, and it's only noon. I like 25.

Matthew Lewis King

2009-01-07T00:03:00.000-08:00

Found this on a friend's blog and thought it was fun:

1. Where did you meet your husband?
Matt and I met through his roommate, who I was dating at the time. (His name was also Matt, ironically.) Then we worked together at summer camp...that's where we started dating.

2. How long did you date before you got married?
We long-distance dated for about 8 1/2 months before we got engaged...I was living in Minnesota, he was in Idaho Falls. Then we were engaged for WAAAYYYY too long... over a year. Felt too long to us.

3. How long have you been married?
Two and a half years (as of January 2nd.)

4. What does he do to surprise you?
Matt comes up with crazy spontaneous things for us to do...like one time, he took me on an "egg dropping contest" adventure. We purchased items from the grocery store that we used to create a protection barrier for our eggs. (Our items had to be under $3...that was a requirement.) I chose packaging tape and a roll of paper towels...Matt chose asparagus. (???) I won, of course...Matt's eggs broke pretty quickly. I even got a certificate. It was so much fun.

5. What is your favorite feature of his?
Honestly...have you seen his backside? Seriously, it's pretty darn nice. I also love his smile and his blue eyes.

6.What is your favorite quality?
Matt is really smart, which I think is pretty special. He is also really kind, and gentle, and level-headed (unlike me sometimes.) Matt's probably the nicest person I've ever met....really. He also is really fun to be with...we have a blast together.

7. Does he have a nickname for you?
So many....sort of embarrassing. He used to call me lumpkins...not really sure how that got started. But he usually calls me sweetie. (Cheesy...) :)

8. What is his favorite food?
Matt likes most foods, as long as they come in giant-sized portions. Every time we go to a restaurant he asks the waitress what the biggest thing on the menu is. He also really likes lasagna, Thai food, and Indian food. (We share a love for Thai and Indian.)

9. What is his favorite sport?
Matt was an awesome wrestler in high school and college, and now he coaches JV wrestling at Coeur d'Alene High School. So I'd say that's his favorite sport for sure. He also likes golfing (he just started a couple years ago,) rock climbing, and snowboarding.

10. When and where did you first kiss?
Matt and I had the most awkward first kiss EVER. We were in the basement of his grandparents house...we went up there for the weekend with some other friends of ours. I had been waiting all night for him to kiss me...we went for a walk by ourselves down by the creek and sat on a log for about half an hour. It was the perfect setting...but he never made the move. So I gave up. Later that night while we were sitting downstairs, he plunged at me unexpectedly and kissed me. He didn't move his lips for about five whole seconds. So awkward. He was super nervous, haha.

11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?
We always talk about this -- because I think our favorite thing to do together is just be together. We have so much fun with whatever we're doing...and that's what makes us so good for each other. :) But if I had to choose some activities, I'd say that we love riding on our scooter in the summer, riding bikes, camping, talking at night, and traveling.

12. Do you have children?
No, no thank you. (At least not for a while.)

13. Does he have any hidden talents?
Matt can thread his lips with invisible thread and then pull them apart. (You'd have to see it to understand...) He has very flexible facial muscles...I call him a face contortionist. Pretty impressive.

14. How old is he?
Matt is 27 as of December 18th.

15. Who said I love you first?
He did....but he wrote it to me in a letter before he said it out loud. He was too scared to say it to my face. Haha. So I wrote "I love you" back to him in a separate letter. He didn't actually say it out loud for another week or so. We were such junior highers.

16. What is his favorite music?
Matt's into lots of different types of music -- but he really loves Indie music and alt. country. His favorite band right now is probably Death Cab for Cutie.

17. What do you admire most about him?
I admire the fact that Matt likes everyone he meets...he is the least judgemental person I've ever met. He gives everyone a fair shot. It's almost impossible for someone to make Matt not like them. I almost never hear him say negative things about other people....I really admire that. He sees the good in everyone.

18. What is his favorite color?
Matt always gets stressed out at this question...I keep trying to get him to nail down a specific color, and he won't do it. I have heard him mention blue a few times though.

19. Will he read this?
Yep...cause he's a blogger now! Awww yeah.

Snow Day, Fun Day

2009-01-05T17:54:00.000-08:00

Another snow day tomorrow.

Snow days are little gifts from Heaven. I really don't mind the snow when the snow = snow day. Yahoo!

Shortest blog ever. Just thought I'd share my excitement.

I Love My Job

2009-01-04T18:50:00.000-08:00

For the past couple of days I've been dreading going back to work. Not because I hate my job, but because I've enjoyed my time off soooo much. But, today when I went into my classroom to do some work, I started feeling like I was ready to go back. I really miss my kids....and that's why I am doing what I'm doing.

Sometimes I feel like I come off pretty negative when I talk about my job. I think this is because I get so drained every day. I've never done anything in my life that stretches my patience and energy to its limits the way teaching first grade does. I'm not gonna lie, it's really hard sometimes. I get frustrated with the politics and the lack of appreciation and understanding for all that I do. People think that teaching is baby-sitting with the extra bonus of summers off. SO far from the truth. But, regardless of my frustrations...regardless of how much time and energy I put into my job...I can honestly say that I LOVE what I do.

I don't know of any other job that offers the opportunity to build such strong connections and relationships with the people you work with. I get choked up even thinking about it -- during the day, my first grade classroom really feels like a family to me. We grow and change and learn and laugh together -- and that's what makes my job so rewarding. So, even though I have loved the time off, I'm ready to go back. I miss my kids, and I'm pretty pumped to see them tomorrow.

Unless we have another snow day -- -which I wouldn't mind. :)

Fill-In

2009-01-03T11:41:00.001-08:00

Check out my new blog! Hopefully I'll have more time to blog this month -- maybe my sweet new layout will inspire me.

Today I have to...ahem, I mean get to ...go to another wrestling tournament. This one's in Freeman, WA. I'm going to take a good book and some school work and hopefully get some things done today.

I miss my first graders, but to be honest, I'm not looking forward to going back to work. I could definitely get used to this whole "not working" thing. I love being able to hang out with Matt all day.

Big 2-5 this Thursday! Not sure how I feel about that yet....

First Grade Writing

2008-12-09T12:19:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share a few excerpts from our writing time today....

"If I could give one gift to the world, I would give every person a pet dinosaur bird. It has blue feathers, a blue tail, and a brown neck. It comes with a tree to stand on and a home and a tank. You have to give it meat because it is a carnivore. It will eat any kind of meat you give it. It really loves meat...but do not put your finger inside the tank!"

"If I could give one thing to the world it would be water because some places don't have water. They have to get in a line. 100 people are in the line."

"If I could give one gift to the world it would be recycling! I would not cut down trees to make a house, so I wouldn't have to pay 300,000 dollars. It can be fun recycling!"

"If I could give one gift to the world it would be dogs because they are so cute and fuzzy and they lay on you. I love them because they are dogs."

"If I could give one gift to the world it would be 400 guinea pigs. I think the people would be happy and they would not even have to thank me. Then I would love this place."

Hahaha...some of the kids wrote really thoughtful things...but some were just hysterical. First graders are great.

Laziness

2008-12-05T15:50:00.000-08:00

SO here's what's going on right now...

I have a to-do list a mile long, my classroom is a wreck, I have ten phone calls to make and a stack of paper work a mile high, plus I haven't cleaned the upstairs portion of our house in months (literally, probably 6 months)....but for some reason, at the end of the day, I find myself perusing blogs and CNN.com instead of doing what I need to be doing.

All this to say that I honestly struggle with laziness -- I have no will power or drive to do the "musts" in my life. And, as a consequence, my life is what most would consider pretty chaotic.

Sugar sugar

2008-11-25T14:04:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting in my classroom waiting for my last parent-teacher conference....I really should be cleaning my classroom right now, but instead I think I'll post a new blog.

I've had far too little time for the blogging world lately.

So here's today's topic: sugar coating. The term is a familiar one to me as I often emplore this technique during conversation. What is it about confrontation that freaks me out so much? I have such a hard time confronting and working through real issues.

I've been thinking about this lately as I've been going through parent-teacher conferences. I am absolutely HORRIBLE at relaying bad news. During my conferences, I tend to end every sentence with "he/she's doing great!" even when it may not be the case. "Well...he throws tantrums for hours at a time and can barely read his own name...but he's doing just great!" What?! He's not doing great!! In fact, he makes my life h-e-double-hockey-sticks most of the time. But I just can't seem to get to the point where I'm comfortable confronting the kid's parents.

This happens in all areas of my life -- it's one of my greatest struggles as a Christian -- being real about my own issues with people. I don't like being real about their issues either. So instead, I try and deal with all my crap (for lack of a better term) internally -- when what I really need is a gosh darn confrontation.

I have been praying that God would help me deal with confrontation -- that he would put someone in my life who is willing to call me out, that I would not take it personally when I am confronted, and that I would be willing to grow from it when it does happen. At the same time, I'm hoping that I can get better at confronting issues with others -- 'cause sometimes it just needs to happen.

So there. (I'm being confrontational...)

Yearbook Photos

2008-11-15T00:10:00.000-08:00

Bible in a Minute

2008-11-10T10:37:00.000-08:00

This may be borderline inappropriate....but I think it's hysterical.

New Blog

2008-09-11T11:41:00.001-07:00

The friends I went to see in Utah and I started this new blog:

http://sarahlacysarai.blogspot.com

It's not exciting yet. But it will be. Maybe.

Bitter??

2008-09-09T22:45:00.000-07:00

Just wrote a really bitter blog about my students' parents...but I decided not to post it. :) Don't want to get in trouble.

I really do love my job....the kids are wonderful.

haha.

Maybe I'll post it in June.

Quirks

2008-09-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

Today I've been thinking about all the strange habits and quirks I've formed. So here's a list of the habits that control me the most.

1. Music plays in my head all day, and for some reason that music comes out in the form of teeth chattering. I tap my teeth to different beats constantly. If you watch me close you'll notice. It's like I have a drumline living in my gums.

2. I have what Freud would call an "oral fixation." I tend to want to experience the sense of touch through my mouth. Because of this, I cannot resist biting things like play-dough, erasers, memory foam, etc.... Also, I chew on pens and pencils constantly. (This might contirbute to the teeth chattering bit as well.)

3. I touch my hair all the time. I hate this habit, but I can't control it. Sometimes I'll even say to myself, "don't touch your hair!" and I still can't stop. Crazy.

4. I pull out my eyebrows and eyelashes. I know this one sounds crazy...I can't explain it, it just happens. Especially when I'm bored.

5. I set all clocks to a number that ends in 8. I loathe the number 5. I dislike odd numbers. And I have a simple dsitaste for zero. Numbers 2 and 6 will do if 8 doesn't work out, but 4 isn't really my cup of tea. Usually I set my alarm clock for 5:28. (I can't get away from the first 5, it's just how it has to be.) When I have to microwave something for a minute and half, I do 1:28. The list goes on.....

This is just the beginning of all my habits. I'm pretty sure I have way more quirks than most people. I don't know.

Time to breathe.

2008-09-03T18:36:00.000-07:00

Teaching is absolutely nuts. But I also absolutely love it.

One of the things I love about first graders is that they're all head over heels in love with you...they seriously think I'm a saint. Every five minutes I hear "you're pretty Mrs. King," or "I love you Mrs. King," or "you're my favorite first grade teacher Mrs. King." Today someone told me that I looked fantastic, and another told me that I was the best guitar player in the whole world. It's pretty good for the ol' self-esteem.

Anyway, I'm loving it even though I no longer have time to blog.

The end.

Car Alarm Goes Off While Driving on Freeway

2008-08-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

Provo, UT

The "Great" Salt Lake

2008-08-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we took a ritual skinny dip in the Great Salt Lake. I wish you could understand the depths to which this lake is gross. The whole place smells like sewage, and bugs roll across the ground in swarms....literal, visible swarms. The best part of this lake is that it's 12% salt, so you can float like CRAZY! So not only were we skinny dipping in mid-day, but we had a hard time keeping everything under the water because of the buoyancy.

Fact: The only creature that lives in the Great Salt Lake is the brine shrimp.

Here's how our conversation went as we entered the lake:

Sarah T.: "EEEWWWW...this place smells like death and decay."
Sarah K.: "Uhh...what's that black stuff on the bottom?"
Sarah T.: "Death and decay."
Lacy: "You guys, this is really gross...why are we here?"
Sarah T.: "This is a God-forsaken place."
Sarah K.: "This really stings, guys. Why are there dead bird carcuses everywhere?"
Sarah T.: (gagging) "This is GROSS."
Lacy: "This really stings. And itches."
Sarah T.: "I feel like a brine shrimp could take advantage of me at any second."

After that, we took showers in the boat rinsing station, while all the boat-rinsers looked on.

P.S. We were clothed during the showers.

Utah, My Love

2008-08-07T14:53:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow at 12:53 pm I fly out to Utah to see my two very best friends in the whole wide world. No coffee or tea for a week. :( But I am still so excited!

I will return to Idaho next Saturday....and then frantically try to put my classroom together.

Utah is the craziest place ever....I really am so excited to go back there!! The church we helped plant down there is now at 81 members...pretty amazing considering where it's located. When I lived there, most non-LDS churches had around 10 members.

Fun Provo Facts:

1. Population: approximately 116,000

2. Number of Starbucks: 1 (first one opened when I was there in 2005.)

3. Number of "De-Cafes": Coulen't find this information....but....a lot.

4. Number of bars: 1

5. Claim to fame: Home of BYU and Robert Redford's Sundance Resort (where the Sundance Film Festival is.)

Surprise!

2008-08-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

Last week, Matt surprised me with a video scavenger hunt, which is one of the sweetest and most fun things he's ever done. We had a blast. I'll be posting clips from it soon...if I can figure out how to.

Today, my friend Amber and I surprised Matt and her boyfriend Mike with a golf trip...and we caddied for them all day, served them drinks, and rubbed their backs. ;) So fun!

And this morning I found out what our surprise weekend trip is...matt and I are going backpacking! He's been planning this for a while, so I'm pumped. Matt got a new water purifier and backpacking stove (that runs on ANY type of fuel) for Christmas, and I got a new Lowe Alpine backpack that I haven't used yet, so that makes it extra exciting. I have no idea where we're going....I just know that we're hiking up to an alpine lake.

So many surprises....it's been a good week.

THE most exciting day ever.

2008-07-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

A break down of my day:

5:30 am - hit the snooze button
5:40 am - hit the snooze button - repeat until 6:15.
6:15 am - jump out of bed and throw on dirty clothes. no time for a shower. race out the door.
7:05 am - arrive to work 5 minutes late. make iced tea and try to stay awake by messing around on the computer and reading the newspaper.
8:30 am - boys wake up. Me: "Good morning!!!" Boys: (silence) Me: "How are you guys?" Boys: (glaring, plus more silence.)
9:00 am - learn that my favorite chicken recently got "thrown into the pot" as Gabe so kindly puts it.
9:05 am - Gabe after beating me at chess: "Stick that in your check book and cash it!" Haha.
10:00 am - fishing
11:00 am - fishing
12:00 pm - fishing Me: "Hey boys, you about done fishing?" Boys: "What??!!!"
1:00- 3:00 pm - you guessed it....still fishing. I spend this time reading Fitness, doing crunches, or texting Matt. Sometimes I hang over the dock looking for large mouth bass. (Like I'd know what they look like anyway.)
3:20 pm - Me: "Ok boys, time to go." Boys: "----"
4:00 pm - FINALLY arrive home. Reading and practicing violin.
5:00 pm - leave. Off to rock climbing for the evening. What a day.

Sister, Sister

2008-07-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

Ever watch that show? I used to love it.

I'm an only child, so when I was little my imaginary friends were always make-believe siblings. (And sometimes Jordan from New Kids on the Block was my imaginary boyfriend, but that's a whole 'nother story....) Mostly I played with my imaginary sisters, Tarah and Cara. (I know, clever names, right? What were my imaginary parents thinking....)

When I got married, I inherited some wonderful pseudo-siblings. I was so excited to finally have brothers and sisters (the REAL kind.) But I must say, we couldn't be more different.

I found this on my Facebook from my sister-in-law this morning:

"Hey there! Miss you too. I'm not to sure how to get around on Facebook yet, so sorry it took me so long to say hey back. Going Huckleberry picking tonight. Wish you guys could come w/. I'm also canning up cherry pie filling today. I think that I'll get about 10 quarts put up. It takes forever to pit them all, but... it will be nice this winter when I can't get them. Love and miss you hope all is well for you talk later...."

I h0pe she doesn't mind that I posted that. :) But seriously, I've never baked a pie in my life, let alone CANNED the filling. It amazes me.

Sarah, Sarah, Sarah

2008-07-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

Oh man, I normally don't waste my time on stuff like this, but I found this on someone else's blog and thought it was pretty entertaining.

1. Type in “[your name] needs” in the Google search:
"Sarah needs a cold shower..." hmmmm.....

2: Type in “[your name] looks like” in Google search:
"Sarah looks like a horse." What's funny is that I have been told so many times that I have horse teeth. :(

3: Type in “[your name] does” in Google search:
"Sarah does Smile." ??

4: Type in “[your name] hates” in Google search:
"Sarah hates your movie." Probably true.

5: Type in “[your name] goes to” in Google search:
"Sarah goes to Deutschland."

6: Type in “[your name] loves” in Google search:
"Sarah loves dad Infant Bodysuit." Wha????

7: Type in “[your name] eats” in Google search:
"Sarah eats the cake." No...I hate cake.

8: Type in “[your name] has” in Google search:
"Sarah has a mommy and a daddy." awwww.....

9: Type in “[your name] will” in Google search:
"Sarah will call you fat to your face." Not true, not true.

Alicia + Kyle = wedding

2008-07-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

I was in a wedding this past weekend that was for sure one of the best weddings I've ever been to. Not only was the wedding great, but the bridesmaids (plus one bridesman) and groomsmen were super fun. I spent about a week with most of them, and I was so sad when they all went back to Bellingham and Seattle on Sunday.

The days before the wedding were spent making tiny little cupcakes and swimming in the pool. We also ate...and ate...and ate some more....which is one of my favorite things to do.

Also, I was delegated to give the speech...so here is the poem I wrote:

I remember meeting you, along with your birds,
At that time we were both sort of nerds.
Since then I've watched you change, I've watched you grow,
Into a spirited young lady and a teaching pro. (She teaches at a French school.)

Most would describe you as vivacious and fun,
But of the words that come to my mind there's especially one,
That describes you exactly, perfectly, to a T...
The word that truly describes you is unique.

Unique sense of humor,
Unique laugh and HUGE smile, (seriously, it's big...)
Unique love of French things,
And a unique husband...named Kyle.

Together you two are such a unique pair,
Him with his wolf shirts and a rat tail for hair,
You were destined for each other,
You were "meant be...."
So here's to you, Alicia and Kyle,
Forever married happily.

The end.

(They ordered personalized M&M's that were supposed to say "Alicia and Kyle, Meant to Be"....instead they said "Alicia and Kyle, Meant Be." Hahaha. I thought it was hysterical.)
So here are a few pictures that I gathered from the event. Hopefully I can find more and post them...we had so much fun.

We took the Bellingham-ians to "the biggest sundaes in the WORLD!" That's what Alicia said at least. Bridesman and bridesmaid.

Me, Stephanie, Caitrin, Bubbles.

D. Stone and Caitrin

P.S. Matt hitchhiked to the wedding. I was so proud.

Scooter-O-Rama

2008-07-14T17:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Matt and I opted out of going to a swing dance because we were both tired and wanted to spend some time alone. So, we decided to take our scooter into Spokane. This is the story of the adventure that ensued while on our beautiful mint green scooter.

First of all, you have to know that when we're on the scooter, we definitely draw attention to ourselves. I'm not sure if it's the fact that there are two of us on a tiny scooter, or the fact that the scooter is a retro green color...but we have people honking at us constantly.

So, as we're driving down Hwy 53 yesterday evening, waving at the people who are honking at us, our scooter starts to sputter....and we quickly realize that we have run out of gas. We decide to walk our little scooter back about a mile to the nearest gas station...holding our heads down the whole way there as the people passing very obviously laugh and point at us.

On to adventure number 2. We took Pines from 53 down to Sprague. If you've never driven all the way down Sprague, you are truly missing out. Sprague is like the Oakland of Spokane. I can't be positive, but I think I counted 3 prostitutes during our journey over....and that was at 6:00 in the evening. We followed Sprague all the way to downtown, and then parked next to Sushi.com for some dinner.

After dinner, we drove the scooter down to Manito Park and the Browne's Addition area. The houses up there are incredible!

Around 8:30, we decide to head home. And here's where the real excitement begins.

When we're on the scooter, I always sit on the back, and I usually grab the sides of Matt's shirt for stability. So as I'm sitting there with Matt's shirt clutched between my fingers, I get this great idea....I decide to try to flash the people sitting at the upcoming bus stop by pulling Matt's shirt up as we pass them. Now, I knew that if I tried to pull Matt's shirt up he would probably try to block my attempt, exposing only his hairy stomach. I wanted to make sure that I could get his shirt all the way up to his arm pits, exposing all his glory. So I begin to roll up the edges of his shirt, grabbing as much of the fabric as I can fit into my hands. As we approach the four men at the bus stop I throw Matt's shirt up and and yell "woo-hoo!" at the top of my lungs.

My husband is definitely not embarassed easily, but I thought this might just be the thing to embarass him...at least a little bit. Well I was wrong. Instead of trying to block my arms, or trying to pull his shirt back down, Matt sticks his chest out proudly, shakes his man-boobs, and yells "yee-haw!" as we pass the bus stop, receiving some very confused looks from the onlookers waiting for the bus.

And that is why I love my husband.

The end.

FYI

2008-07-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

I just re-read my last blog and found the word "lot's." It's driving me nuts, so I just wanted to let everyone know that i can spell lots...without the apostrophe.

Thank you.

Safe?

2008-07-03T10:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a tough day...God has been taking me through some things lately that have really opened my eyes to who I am. And right now, I'm not liking what I'm finding out. I know that I'm growing, but geeze, it's tough.

For a long time I've prided myself on being a driven and independent woman. I've always sort of done my own thing. I don't rely on other people to take care of me, or to make my decisions, or to tell me what to think or how to act. I figure those things out myself. I've always been proud of the fact that I am not afraid to take chances, and that if I put my mind to something I often achieve it. I set goals and I reach them.

Anyone notice how many I's were in the above paragraph? And that's exactly where the problem lies. I've realized that I am no different in my relationship with God. God can be my "friend," but as far as letting him make the decisions, or helping me achieve my goals, (which, once again, are MY goals, not His,) or shaping the way I think and act, or relying on him for help....well, I've sort of said "thanks but no thanks."

Now don't get me wrong, I know God has made me to be an independent thinker, and to be driven, etc...those things can certainly be used for His glory. But right now, my pride isn't allowing for that.

Last week, I prayed that God would break me...truly break me, and rebuild my heart. I knew he'd answer this, but I didn't know how, and honestly, I've been pretty nervous. Lot's has been going on since then, and I've had such a hard time trusting that God is going to work it all out.

Then yesterday, I had someone ask me to pray for them....and my first thought was, "Well, Ok, but you just need to do it...be driven and figure it out." And I think that's how I've viewed my relationship with God for a while. Sort of a "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" mentality.

So, right now, I'm re-learning how to truly depend on Jesus. I know in my head that he is trustworthy, that he is good. But now I need that knowledge to transform my heart.

This quote from C.S. Lewis has totally taken on new meaning for me lately:

"Safe?... Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. but he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

Isaiah 61

2008-06-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a] 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

Matt asked me why I wanted to get a tattoo of the words "Beauty for Ashes" in Hebrew. First of all, I think Hebrew just looks really cool, and I worked at a Jewish Preschool, so I think it's appropriate, right?

But as for the meaning of the words....I love the imagery -- being transformed into something beautiful and worthy from something completely worthless -- beauty for ashes -- not because of anything that I've done, or anything that I deserve, but through what He did. It reminds me of how much Jesus has changed my life, and of the incredible gift of being seen as perfect, pure, and righteous through His death.

Just call me P.I. Sarah

2008-06-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

I did some investigation work, and I think I found the Hebrew translation that I was looking for. AND I think it's legit. I found a few different interlinear Bibles that helped me figure it out.

SO here it is:

פְּאֵר תַּחַת אֵפֶר -- "Beauty for Ashes"

Literally means trading worthlessness for beauty or honor.

Now I just have to figure out where to put it!

P.S. Did you know that Hebrew is read right to left, and that when you type in Hebrew you start at the right side of the page? Everything's backwards...crazy!

Rat-a-tat-oo

2008-06-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

Soooo.....I'm thinking about getting another tattoo, but here's my dillemma:

1. I want the words "Beauty from Ashes" in Hebrew, but where the heck am I supposed to find a Hebrew dictionary? And even if I find the words, how do I know that the verbs are correct, etc? And how do I know the dictionary is legit? I don't want to end up with a tattoo that says "silverware for grandpa" or something. (I dunno, that's the first thing I thought of...haha.)

2. I can't decide where to get my next tattoo. I need it to be in a conspicuous place, because I teach kids. I thought about my foot, but that can be tricky to cover up as well, especially when I'm constantly wearing heels to work. Any ideas? Where should I put this new thing??

Thoughts??

Zzzzzzz

2008-06-11T15:14:00.000-07:00

I am NOT a morning person. Not at all. And lately, I've been getting up at 5 for my nannying job. It's killing me! I am so tired...I've reverted back to my daily coffee stops, and I can only sit down for about 10 minutes at a time without starting to drift off....not good.

Yesterday, I had all four of the boys read for half an hour in the middle of the day. I decided to set a good example, so I picked up the newpaper and sat down on the couch to join them. It wasn't even five minutes into our quiet time and I started to nod off. I need to go to bed earlier I guess.

Tomorrow I have the day off, so I am going to stay up late and wake up at noon. I can't wait!

'Tis the Season....

2008-06-02T23:02:00.000-07:00

...for babies and marriage. We have six -- yes SIX -- weddings to go to this summer, and I've already been to three baby showers and two bridal showers in the last couple months. Does that seem crazy to anyone else?

I like weddings, really. Free wine, buffet lines...what's there to complain about? But seriously, too much of a good thing is, well, too much.

I AM excited about Sophie's bachelorette party that's coming up, however! Woohoo!

Wow

2008-06-02T22:43:00.000-07:00

From C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters

"Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys."

That's exactly what I want for my life.

(For those that don't know, The Screwtape Letters is a book written from the perspective of a pair of demons. So, when they refer to the Enemy, they are actually speaking of God.)

Namaste

2008-05-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

Last summer, I was completely addicted to yoga. I was going to a class at least five days a week! Then I got fourteen stitches put into my hand, and that sort of shot down my yoga dreams for a while. But the fire in my heart has been re-lit, and the yoga passion is back for the summer. I'm stoked! I start classes June 1....so I'll be sore for the next couple weeks.

Oregon

2008-05-27T23:11:00.000-07:00

We just got back from the coast tonight...and I am exhausted times 10. We went with about 10 other people and had an absolute blast! Our trip felt much too short, however.

We left Friday night at 11:00 p.m. -- yes, that's P.M. We drove almost 8 hours straight, and arrived at the beautiful oceanside at around 6:30 a.m. We didn't even stop at our campsite -- we went straight to the beach, sat in the sand, and cracked open some Coronas. Awesome.

The first night we were there we spent most of our time at the beach -- we ended the day with a bonfire right next to the ocean. So cool.

On Sunday, we went to Cannon Beach, and Cape Cod. A few of the guys spent the day surfing -- I spent most of my time searching for and poking sea anenomes. After Cape Cod, we drove over to Tillamook -- where the cheese factory is. We literally ate so much cheese that we made ourselves sick -- and I got stuck in the car with our lactose intollerant friend Josh. (Let's hope he doesn't read this.)

On Monday, almost everyone headed back to Idaho, but Matt, Amber, Mike, and I weren't ready to be done -- so we made a spontaneous trip to Leavenworth. Mike said it would take 2 hours to get there -- it took 11. (And yes, we got lost at least 4 times.) Even though it took FOREVER to get there, we got to climb in one of the most amazing areas I've ever seen. And we experienced some seriously good sushi in Seattle at Blue C Sushi. (Food is way better when it comes from a conveyor belt!)

I'm excited to be back, but I certainly do L-O-V-E going on vacation -- especially to the ocean. I'll post some pictures soon.

New Song

2008-05-19T23:40:00.000-07:00

I learned this song today, and am now presenting it to you via my high-quality camera phone. Enjoy the first 27 seconds ('cause that's all I can record.) My amateur guitar skills sound even worse on the camera phone....just plug your ears.

Tyrone

2008-05-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

Last night, Matt surprised me with concert tickets to Tyrone Wells. We met Tyrone at U of I a couple years ago, and fell in love with his music. Apparently, he's from Spokane, so he played a show at the Big Easy in the midst of his tour.

The people at the bar were SUPER loud last night throughout the entire concert...until Tyrone played this song:

You could hear a pin drop after he was done. So cool.

Before he played the song, he talked about it's meaning...the fact that we will all die one day, and the things that will matter then are not the things that we think matter now. He talked about living a life of forgiveness and love, and he talked about the fact that we will all one day meet God.

Anyway, I felt like God really used him last night...it was neat.

He's way talented...check it out.

http://tyronewells.com/

P.S. This song was played at our wedding:

One more...just for kicks and giggles.

Bob Marley cover:

About Me

2008-05-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

An explanation of my "about me" section:

Every time I try to write an "about me" paragraph, I end up deleting everything I type. I can't explain this...but I think it's because of my strong aversion to cliches. So, when I sit down to write an "about me" section, I'm constantly frustrated by the fact that I can't communicate or explain who I am in one or two paragraphs without sounding cliche or arrogant.

Does that make any sense at all?

Let me give you an example of what I'm talking about:

A typical "about me" paragraph (exaggerated for effect):

Hey! My name is Sarah, and I just graduated from the University of Idaho with my B.S. Ed. Woot! I love to camp, hike, kayak, rock climb, swim, hang out at the lake, hang glide, snowboard, raft, bungee jump, sky dive, scuba dive, backpack through the alps....in general, I love to be outside. And more than anything, I love to laugh! I am a pretty laid back person, and I get along with EVERYONE I meet. Most of my friends say that I'm one of the sweetest people they know. I try to keep that in mind, because the modeling business can really turn you into a mean person!

So here's what I hate most about these silly paragraphs.....they sound like sales pitches. The typical "about me" section just seems so self-absorbed. People always sound so wonderful in their paragraphs....but if they were honest, their "about me" sections would start something like this:

I pretend to like the outdoors to impress boys on myspace and old friends from high school, but I really prefer getting my nails done at the mall and shopping for shoes. Also, I spend most of my time on Myspace, so there's really no time for being outside.....

Ok, my rant is over. But just know that I will continue to refuse to write an "about me" section.

Unproductive

2008-05-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

Today, I did absolutely nothing productive....and it felt great. I woke up at 11:30. I drove around spokane for about an hour and a half listening to the radio. I wandered around Mountain Gear without a purpose. I bought a new phone charger. I drank some superb coffee. I seriously thought about going for a run. And now, it's 9:00 and I'm ready for bed.

I normally hate ending the day feeling like I got nothing done, but I haven't had a day like this in FOREVER. It was surprisingly refreshing.

It's back to work tomorrow morning. Woohoo!

Working....in 3 months.

2008-05-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

Sooooo....... (drum roll......)

I got a job! Hooray!

I am way excited...I got hired at Hayden Meadows Elementary to teach first grade. I am so glad that the interview process is OVER. I hope I don't have to go through that EVER again. Yuck-and-a-half.

Sometimes I'm shocked when what I want and what God wants for my life actually line up....usually I seem to be a little off. (And thank goodness, because what He has planned is always way more than I could imagine.) But I couldn't be more excited for where He has me next year.

On the same note, I've been thinking about how easy it is to praise God during times like these...times where I seem to be "blessed." What I fail to realize is that God is constantly blessing me....I am blind to it so much of the time.

So, I want to praise God in good times, in bad times, and, most importantly, in the "blah" times....the times in my life where I simply go through the motions, and nothing is necessarily good or bad. Those are really the times that I seem to get stale in my faith.

2008-05-09T21:11:00.001-07:00

61 words

Thoughts on Hebrews

2008-05-07T21:19:00.000-07:00

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."
--Hebrews 4:13

Right now, American Idol is on in the background and I'm reading through Hebrews. So this post is coming from a combination of those two things.

The verse above really stood out to me as I was reading. Sometimes I think the best thing that could ever happen to me is to have my sins broadcast on national television for all the world to see. Honestly, it's so funny that we think we can "hide" our sin by appearing to have it all figured out. Frankly, my life is a mess sometimes, and God knows it. Yet I continually try to pretend that it's not. Who am I hiding from?

"For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness."

Phone Phobia

2008-05-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

Somewhere between high school and now I have developed a phobia. It sounds ridiculous, I know...but I swear it's legit. Whenever someone calls me, I get so anxious that I cannot bring myself to answer the phone. So I tell myself, "I'll call them back later today....after I hear their message." This is for two reasons. If they do not leave a message, then I know that it was not important, and that I don't have to call them back. If they do leave a message, I can find out if they are "just calling to talk," in which case I also can choose not to call them back. In the case that the message is important, and that I am forced to make a phone call, I spend hours or even days cohercing myself into making that call. I LOATHE talking on the phone.

I can't explain where this came from. It has gotten progressively worse over time, and I continue to worsen. It's not like I get a panic attack when the phone rings....but I definitely get super nervous, and can't bring myself to answer it.

I have looked into this briefly....I found some information on the internet about social anxiety disorder and a few other things....but I'm not really sure that's what the issue is. I am (for the most part) fine in person. I tend to be pretty outgoing, and usually don't get nervous. It's the added element of the phone that starts to cause problems.

What's wrong with me? Does anyone else have this disease?

I can't stop...

2008-05-06T17:25:00.001-07:00

Just a few more pictures that reminded me of my graduation night...why do I think this is so funny?

I graduated from Hogwart's

2008-05-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

Found this picture on the internet....multiply the guy on the left by TEN and that's what everyone on the stage at my graduation looked like. Haha, so funny.

Sick and Bored.

2008-05-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

I ate a bunch of fruit last night that had been sitting out all day....not feeling so great today.

On another note, I graduated last night. It was honestly one of the most boring things I've ever done. But, I got to sit between my friend Ray and my husband (because we share the same last name, of course.) :) SO that was exciting. We laughed so hard when we walked into the auditorium because the stage looked like the set of a Harry Potter movie. Our vice provost was holding this huge scepter-like thing, and our president had on this medieval beret and a HUGE gold necklace with three medallions that were bigger than my hands. On top of that, all of the other faculty that were on the stage had their PhD's, so they all had hoods on their gowns. It cracked me up. I really wish I had a picture. Maybe I can find one on the internet.

International Buffet!

2008-05-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

I have to share this story about one of the kids in my class. Let's call her "Angela." So, the other day, Angela (who is a rather heavy-set young lady) walks into the classroom SUPER excited. She literally could not contain her joy...so I asked her what was up.

"Why are you so excited Angela?"

"Because..." (dramatic pause as she begins turning red with excitement) "...we are going to INTERNATIONAL BUFFET TONIGHT!"

I have never seen anyone get so excited about the International Buffet. It made me laugh.

Done!

2008-05-01T18:30:00.001-07:00

Just got home from my interview....and it was a disaster! I wanted to RUN out the door by the time it was over. Oh well...maybe next time will go better. At least I have that first one under my belt. I can use it to learn from.

The position that closes tomorrow is the one I'm really hoping for -- kindergarten or first grade. So hopefully I will learn from today's disastrous interview and land this next job.

Whoo! This is stressful.

Interviewing

2008-05-01T07:05:00.000-07:00

My first "official" interview is today...is it strange that I'm not nervous? It's for a thrid grade position in Coeur d'Alene. I really have my heart set on a position that I'm interviewing for later on, but this area is so competitive that I have to take the first job I can get. So we'll see what happens. I know I'll end up exactly where I'm supposed to be.

I'm pretty excited about having the day off. I really need to clean the house at some point....