A Different First Day

Welp, it's the first day of school and I'm not there. This is actually the first "first day" that I've not been a part of in 21 years. Wowzers. Crazy to think that I've had a first day of school every August since I was 4 years old and now I'm not. It's kind of sad, to be honest. What's even more sad is that I won't have any sort of "first day" this year. After much prayer and discussion David and I decided it would be best for me to stay home with our little girl for a year.

Don't get me wrong, I am over the moon to have this opportunity to spend extra time with Amelia Grace! I cannot wait to watch her grow and help her reach all sorts of milestones, but I really am going to miss the hustle and bustle of middle school. I'm going to miss their crazy "I love you/I hate you" moments and their "my world is ending because he/she won't talk to me anymore" days. My heart will certainly miss the laughter and camaraderie that came along with my school family. And there are no words to describe how much I will seeing the "light bulb" moment on a student's face when they finally "get it".

It was by far one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, but I know I made the right one. My wonderfully supportive principal said it best, "Teaching will always be here, but your baby won't". I'm keeping those words close to my heart as I embark on a whole new journey with a different type of student. Here's to days of staying in our pajamas and momma learning to curb the sarcastic humor middle schoolers love so much;-)

My new student is VERY serious about learning;-)

5 on Friday [04.11]

Happy Friday!

 *one*

 Have y'all ever written an essay with a group of students who has never written an essay before? I wouldn't recommend it to the faint of heart. Don't get me wrong, I am SO glad we are doing it, but it is wearing me out! Let's just say the kids won't be the only one glad to be done with these and back to reading novels.

*two*

 Any other fans of Nashville out there? I just heard rumors there is going to be a tour with the stars. SO EXCITING. David is refusing to go with me. . . any takers??

*three*

Spring has arrived! So thankful for this beautiful weather and the chance to be outside again after all these months of freezing ick. 

*four*

Between Scandal and The Good Wife I consider myself an unofficial lawyer. Every time I hear about a court case of crime I automatically try to see if there is any foul play and who is really to blame. Any other weirdos out there?

*five* 

I need book suggestions! We are a week away from Spring Break and I don't have anything. HELP!

Seattle Day 2

Miss the first installment? Start here!

Due to the three hour time difference I was up at 4am local time. That would be sleeping in if I were at home! I caught up on some school work (a teacher's work is never done!) and took full advantage of the cable TV before wandering across the street for some more magic in a red cup. By that point it was time to meet back at the hotel for the buses to take us back to the Foundation for our big day!

Panoramic view of part of the Foundation. It was huge!

We arrived and were greeted by the incredibly friendly staff and a wonderful breakfast. Spinach and egg wraps with avocado, fresh fruit, and various pastries. And of course, coffee. I really got used to the readily available coffee at every turn! They gave us another hour to eat and visit. To teachers with a lunch of 20 minutes (this also includes a bathroom break and warming your food!) this was a huge luxury. In fact, we didn't know what to do with ourselves.

After that they herded us into the Atrium for the fireside chat with Melinda Gates. We quickly went in and grabbed front row seats on the couches. I mean, how often do you have this ind of opportunity?? Melinda and three teachers of the year (from Vermont, Wisconsin, and California) discussed collaboration, creativity, lack of time, and the negative impact of over-testing kids for about an hour. It was comforting to hear that teachers from every where face the same woes as those of us in North Carolina. Now, what to do about it?? The Gates Foundation had some thoughts!

April, Levi, me, and Sue

Heyyyyy, Melina Gates

We were then grouped and put into different rooms to give feedback on some projects they have been working on. To all my teacher friends, you know those gazillion different websites and tools we are constantly filtering through in an attempt to help our kids/make our lives easier? Well, the Gates Foundation is streamlining them all into one place! Some of the things they proposed were unnecessary while others were cutting edge. We spent hours (with an awesome lunch in between) in small focus groups offering feedback and just about every teacher in the room offered to continue to help with no further incentive. That's how exciting these news programs are!

Everything they feed us was super yummy, super healthy, and local!

That afternoon we gave input on using Social Media and who we turn to the most before we headed back to the hotel. April and I said goodbye to our new biffles and headed out to one of the top seafood restaurants in Seattle-Blueacre Seafood. It did not disappoint! I've not always been a huge fan of fish, but my sweet husband has encouraged me to try more and more and I am thankful he has because I now actually like it! We dined on a delicious three-course meal before embarking on an adventure to the original Starbucks. There was no way we were going to Seattle and not going to see it! Just like any city at night, Seattle was a bit scary. So after we got our pictures, souvenirs, and coffee we hurriedly headed back to the hotel to turn in.

Yummy grilled black cod

Visiting the Motherland!

Didn't get to see the market in action, but we got to wander past

I cannot think of enough adjectives to describe how wonderful this trip/opportunity it was. I am so thankful for this incredible experience!

Seattle Day 1

Sorry about the delayed posting of my fabulous Seattle trip, but just as soon as I got back, I was off again. More on that later. . .

I was fortunate enough to visit Seattle with the incredible opportunity of attending the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Connecting Teachers to Teachers conference. Roughly 200 teachers from all across the United States came together to discuss what teachers need in order to help further their students. It is not very often that we're asked how we can be helped and we did not waste the chance to speak up! What made it all even better was having a fellow Mooresville teacher, the inspiring April, along on this adventure with me:-)

A quick background on this trip. . . we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. In fact, when our principals (April teaches at the high school) asked us if we'd be interested in going they only asked if we wanted to go to Washington. None of us knew that it was in Seattle until we were sent information on our hotel! Not that we were complaining. I mean how often do you get to fly across the country to Seattle on someone else's tab?? We also had no earthly idea what this trip would entail. All we knew was our flight and hotel information. Can you imagine the anxiety this prompted in two Type-A teachers?!?

Our flight was scheduled for late Monday morning, which meant a nice little sleep-in for someone used to a 4:15am alarm. I puttered around the house for a bit before heading toward the airport. I was about halfway there when I realized I had forgotten my jacket. Did you catch the part about going to Seattle?? Other than that the pre-flight was pretty painless. The flight itself was a six hour direct flight, oof. Thank heavens I took David's advice and requested an aisle seat! 

When we landed we hurried to get our baggage and meet our driver (yes, our driver!). While we were there we met another teacher, Levi, who had brought along his wife for the trip. We grabbed our luggage and headed toward downtown and our awesome hotel. 

Once we arrived we had about an hour and a half before we had to be downstairs to catch the bus to go to the Foundation for supper and hopefully more details. I knew I couldn't waste the opportunity to explore so I was off! This East Coast girl quickly grabbed Starbucks we were in the Motherland after all!) and hit up a few stores in search of a jacket. H&M came to the rescue and I got an adorable gray peacoat on sale! 

And it was in a red cup to boot!

I quickly hurried back to the hotel and we all headed to the Foundation for cocktail hour. That's right, folks, cocktail hour. As a teacher I never thought I'd be able to say I was on a "business trip", but cocktail hour with local brews too?? I was in hog heaven! We visited and made quick connections with a few other Southern birds. They finally gave us an itinerary which settled our anxious minds. They also gifted us with business cards. Yep, business cards. The goal was to have us make connections with fellow teachers and build a new community. 

Did I mention how thankful I am for this incredible opportunity??

Around this time that East Coast time started to hit us hard and caught the first bus back to the hotel. We needed a good night's sleep if we were going to be on our A-game for the next day!

Goodnight, Seattle.

Friday's Letters [11.08]

Happy Friday, folks!

Dear Seattle, Can I please come back?? 36 hours just isn't long enough!

Dear Gates Foundation, I cannot thank you enough for the incredible experience. I would also like to take a moment to speak for all the teachers there when I say thank you for treating us like professionals. Thank you for advocating for us!

Dear readers, We're heading to Asheville for the weekend and are looking for suggestions for things to do, places to see, and food to eat! Whatcha got for us??

Dear all the things I have to do, Go away. Just shoo. Shoo!

Friday's Letters [10.25]

Happy Friday, folks!

Dear teacher friends, We are almost a quarter of the way through the school year and we have the work to prove it! Just a few extra hours of grading and we can dive straight on into the next chapter of the year.

Dear students,  I know you're tired. I know you're antsy. I know you're getting fidgety. You took us through some interesting antics with the full moon, but we stood strong against your crazy. Only a few more days until your break! Please be kind. 

Dear Renaissance Festival, We're coming for ya! You never cease to entertain us with your cuckoo antics. Looking forward to more interesting characters than ever before!

Dear Fall,  Where'd ya go? I blinked and we seem to have entered Winter. We've discussed time and time again my dislike of your sister Winter, so I'm going to need you to have a talking to her and get her to step back for a bit. No more thirty degree mornings!

Dear readers, And in case you ever doubt out love of Daisy check out this for a good giggle.

Times Have Changed-School

In honor of the start of school I'm investigating how things have changed in schools through the years.

Those of us in education know that much of our field is trends. Things come in with a force, then leave out the backdoor before popping back up ten years later. One thing that is new and not likely to go anywhere the readiness of technology. Whether the kids in your local school are tapping at computers or researching the world on their iPads this is a trend that isn't disappearing anytime soon. 

It is incredible what can be done these days that was impossible even ten years ago. If we're having a discussion in class and none of us know the answer all it takes is a simple Google search to figure it out. 

What about completing a research paper? Gone are the days of encyclopedias. Now, our kids can go in depth without ever leaving the classroom.

It's also amazing how you can truly tailor your lessons to every level of learner with the innovative programs available. I may have a high reader and a low reader in the same class who both need something completely different from me, enter some pretty awesome programs that allow me to create assignments for each of their individual levels.

Want to create a safe place for students to discuss their responses without feeling intimidated? How about a discussion board? This tool allows students to sound off on a topic without having to say it out loud to a group of their very intimidating peers.

What about if a student has a question while working on their homework late at night? Helloooooooo, email. I love when my students email me questions about assignments. I love that they take the time to ask and dig deeper into a task instead of completely giving up. Email is also an amazing way to contact parents. I bet our ancestors wish they had email when they were contacting parents about Billy pulling Sally's hair at recess.

I could also talk for days about the superbness of social media in the classroom. Need a quick way to remind students about a quiz? Post it on Twitter. Help your kids learn the importance of keeping up with local politics by retweeting the Mayor's tweets. Or create a Facebook page for your class to encourage collaboration.

Today's schools are FULL of advancements that would blow the minds of our grandparents. Stay tuned for the next installment!

Teach the Unteachable

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

-Matthew West

Aside from one little addendum, this is my prayer as we enter a new school year. Each morning as I speak to the Lord I will say the above words with the addition of "teach the unteachable". 

I was running errands this past weekend when this song came on. Another one of those songs I had heard a thousand times, but never really listened to. As I sang along I really listened to the words I was saying. That's when it hit me-this is a prayer I should be saying to break the shell around my hardened teacher heart. Huh? Let me start over. . .

I am entering my fourth year of teaching, and even though I am far from a veteran, I still feel like I've kind of got this thing. I feel like I've got it figured out. I couldn't be more wrong. Instead of feeling so sure of myself and my teaching I should be humbling myself before God and asking for his guidance. Instead of seeing my students as kids I have to get to pass a test I should be remembering they are His children whom He has entrusted to me for a short time every day.

Every year we all have those students who frustrate us. These are the ones you just shake your head at before you drop it into your hands in exasperation. These are the ones who fall into every one of those "tough to teach" categories. These are the children who seem impossible, and are even labeled as such by many of the confines of our education system.

These are the ones who need that love even more. 

These are the ones who need to be reached the most. 

These children are not impossible with Him.

So, to all my teacher friends I ask that instead of giving up in overwhelming frustration, you instead pray for His guidance to give these children what He expects for them.

A New School Year

Hear that? 

It's the sound of all the teachers in town turning off alarms that haven't been set this early in months. 

We nervously rise and begin to prepare for the day, though many haven't slept a week. 

Butterflies flutter in tummies despite how many times some of us have done this. 

We hold our heads up high like we know what we're doing, but we are still anxious about what the year will bring. 

We arrive early to make sure everything is perfect because anything less would be unacceptable on this day. 

We catch our breaths as the first bell rings. 

We smile big and shake hands as the children filter down the hallway. 

It's going to be another wonderful school year.

Friday Letters [08.02]

Happy Friday, folks!!

Dear Kenny Chesney, Not too shabby of a show there kid. Not as stellar as Keith Urban, but not too bad.

Let's just pretend I'm not a sweaty hot mess. . .

Dear Mother Nature, I've decided not to battle with you any longer about this monsoon weather. You just do your thing. BUT since you're being so vicious these days, how about throwing us an easy winter? I'll let you ponder that one.

Dear school friends, I missed y'all! It was so good seeing everyone this week. I can't wait to see all the awesome things we accomplish this year!

Dear NC legislature, You want to spend more money on inmates than you do on students? Fine, but I hope you enjoy the karma train because it is going to slam right smack into you when you least expect it.

Dear Momma, Happy (belated) Birthday! I hope it was everything you could have imagined and more. We can't wait to celebrate with you in a week!

Photo courtesy of Amaris Hames.

Summer 2013 Bucket List

Today is officially my first day of Summer-WAHOOOO! A few Summers ago I came up with a "bucket list" of sorts. A list of activities and tasks I wanted to accomplish over my two-month break. Enter an impromptu nannying job and buying a house and those to-do's went out the window. I'm giving it another go with a few things I want to tackle on my break!

apply for a passport

Where are we headed? Nowhere in particular, but we figured it might be a good idea to get me one in case we want to go somewhere. When we were looking at Spring Break trips we felt limited because I didn't have one and we don't want that to happen again.
 

study for (and possibly take) the GRE

Y'all, I'm scared. We've been talking about me doing this for a while now and the first step is to take that nasty test. The funny thing is I teach kids how to take tests all the time, but I'm terrified to do it myself. I haven't taken a standardized test since I was in high school! Cue freakout in 3, 2, 1. . .

top to bottom clean

I want to do a top to bottom clean of our house. David always jokes that our house is so much cleaner in the summer because I finally have time to pay attention to it. It's the sad, sad truth.

cooking

I really would like to get back into trying new recipes. A lot of time I don't have the energy to do this after school, but with hours of free time I will have no excuse!

summer reading

Ditto above, just substitute books instead of recipes. The school year does not afford me much time for personal reading and I would really like to take some time to do that.  

crafting
I have a slew of projects I've been pondering and this summer is the perfect opportunity to complete them!

sunrise/sunset
This is an item on my 30 Before 30 List and I would love to knock it out this summer. It seems like I'll either see the sunrise or the sunset, but never in the same day. I'm hoping to partake in this glorious creation sometime this summer! 

Anything else I should add??

Friday's Letters [04.26]

Happy Friday, folks!!

Dear 10K, Welp, it's official, we will be meeting in a few short weeks. Please be kind to my still in training body.

Dear Keurig, Thank you for the extreme joy you bring very tired teachers! We are all so excited by your arrival and can't wait to see you take us through the rest of year with lots of energy. HOORAY!

Dear computer, What gives? You've been running super slow recently and have taken to crapping out randomly. Please keep chugging along, little buddy.

Dear projects, Please be kind. I know there are roughly 6.45 bajillion of you, but I would really appreciate it if you didn't take up my entire weekend. Mmmkay?

Dear students, We are almost there! Six more weeks until we reach FREEDOM!

Tiny Prints-Teacher Edition

As a teacher I am constantly jotting down messages, to-do lists, and thank you notes for various reasons. This means that I am constantly on the search for cute stationary! So, when I found Tiny Prints carried more than just holiday cards I was over the moon. The fact that they have an entire section devoted to "teacher stationary" made it even better! Here are some of my favorites. . .

Adorable card to jot a quick note.

found here

How about a more personalized thank you?

 found here

How about the matching notepad to keep track of my millions of to-do lists?

found here

This would be great to stamp in all the books in my growing library.

found here

Not a teacher? Not to worry! Check out their HUGE selection of stationary, cards, stamps, gifts, photo books, and more!

A Message To 13-Year-Old Me

I have the true pleasure of teaching everyone's least favorite age each and every day. When I tell people I teach middle school I usually get a response of, "why?"". Gee talk about an uplifting motivator. The truth is I love it. It can be a challenge, but what rewarding task isn't? Working with these kiddos often has me reflecting back to my own teen years and the angst I felt the need to put my parents through. A few things I wish I could tell myself then. . .

*keep reading*

Who cares if it's not the "cool" thing to do? You enjoy it and are really good at it. Don't let other people stop you from doing what you like!

*it's okay if your butt doesn't fall out of your shorts*

Unfortunately, I think this is a trend that just won't die. I wish I could tell my former self (and all the young girls I teach!) that the booty hanging out of the shorts is not attractive, so please don't do it!

*high school isn't as scary as everyone makes it seem*

With all the big talk from your 8th grade teachers, heading to high school about gave you an anxiety attack. Just breathe. They'll give you a map and after a day or two it won't even matter anymore. Now, college on the other hand is definitely going to throw you for a loop or two. . . 

*the drama isn't worth it

I know it seems exciting now, but stay away from the drama. It will only cause pain and issues later.

*nothing can shock you*

After some of the people you meet and things you encounter you begin to think that nothing can shock you, think again! Life will continue to throw your curve balls and you will continue to learn from them and grow.

If you could go back in time, what would you tell yourself??

Back To School. . .

Back to school. Back to school, to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool. I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don't get in a fight. Ohhhh, back to school. Back to school. Back to school.

-Billy Madison

Back to school time, folks! I apologize now as my posts will likely be few and far between for the next week as I adjust to the school schedule again. Best of luck to all my fellow teachers on their first few days back and all the parents as they said their kiddos off!

Friday's Letters [08.17]

It's another edition of Friday Letters with Adventures of Newlyweds!

Dear Harris Teeter manager, Thank you for sharing more couponing secrets from the other side.

Dear summer vacation, It was nice while it lasted. I'm sorry to see you go, but know that your return will be that much sweeter following your absence. Keep up the great work when it comes to relaxing people.

Source: someecards.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Dear crockpot, How could I have forgotten about all your magical qualities?? You have reintroduced a whole new level of quality to our week's meals. Be prepared to get kicked back into high gear when our schedules pick up in the coming weeks!

Dear robot checkers on websites, I promise I am not a robot so please let me buy my product or add my comment. It's not my fault you scramble things up so beyond anything readable that I cannot decipher your code.

Dear years of swim practice, I am pleased to report that the thousands of hours I spent in the pool as a kid were not a total waste. The other day that hubby and I went up to the pool to swim a few laps and it all came right on back to me. In fact I actually got a little nostalgic and maybe even missed the green hair and smell of chlorine constantly emanating from me. Maybe.

Refreshed

refreshed: (v) Give new strength or energy to; reinvigorate.

I feel very refreshed these days. Is it the extra 30 minutes of sleep I get each night? Is it the uninterrupted time with my love? Or is it the knowledge that I don't have to check off every item on my to-do list today because it can wait until tomorrow?

I don't know, but whatever the reason I am feeling refreshed.

I am very fortunate to have a career that allows me to "start over" on a regular basis. If things look rough for a few months, it's okay because if I wait a bit longer I will get a new batch of students and challenges to face. This is a double-edged sword, though. Sometimes you have such an amazing group of kiddos that you're convinced the next group won't be nearly as fun and you don't want to let them go. But of course we must. Is this how it feels to be a parent saying goodbye to stages as their kids reach new milestones? 

I love my job. I love the challenges it brings and the every day changes that no one could possibly predict. It's not always easy, but I really do enjoy it. It can be draining, though, and by June I am often counting the minutes until I have a bit of freedom. I think people in many careers face that feeling, I'm just lucky enough to get that bit of respite. I've now gotten the rest I needed and am feeling back up to par.

I am ready to conquer the new school year, the new kiddos, the new curriculum, and the new challenges. There is no doubt in my mind that it will take some adjusting, but I am confident that I can do it.

 I am refreshed.

Thankful Thursday-Holy is the Lord

 Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
The earth is filled with His glory

-Chris Tomlin

Here are a few things I am thankful for today. . . 

early diagnosis

As much as the whole relapse thing stinks, I am grateful for the early diagnosis. When I remember how bad things were before, I am even more thankful for the early catch of it and aggressive treatment.

passion

I am so grateful for the passion for Christ from those around us. David and I are blessed to know some awesome people whose hearts are in a stellar place. I am thankful for their passion, drive, and motivation to spread His word.

readily accessible healthcare

I often take for granted the fact that I can just call up the doctor and get an appointment, or at the very least some guidance with my issue. So many others don't have that. I am so thankful for the care I am fortunate enough to receive when I need it most.

support

If you follow me on Twitter you may have seen allusions to a big presentation I had earlier this week. Not going to lie, I was absolutely terrified to present to a room of roughly 30 of my colleagues. I am pleased to report that not only did I survive, but people even told me I did well! Whew! I am very thankful for the open, gracious hearts of my peers:-)

patience

I am super thankful for the patience of my husband. The steroids mess with my brain and make me very loopy to the point of you may have to tell me the same thing three times before I really get it. My husband has been so patient with me even though I keep making silly little (and super annoying!) mistakes when it comes to scheduling house fixes. I am one blessed lady.

summer storms

Does it get much better than a big blowout storm that brings 15 degree temperature drops? Nope. 

What are you thankful for this week??

Thankful Thursday-Beach Music

I love beach music
I always have and I always will
There ain't no other kind of music in the world that gives me quite the thrill
When I hear...
60 minute man, and walkin' up the one-way street
He's up on the roof, he's under the boardwalk
Summertime's a-callin' me

-The Embers

As always, I have MUCH to be thankful for this week. Here is a glimpse at all the awesome in my life:

sisters

 Brothers are awesome too, but there is just something about the bond between sisters that is indescribable.

supportive husbands

 How superb is a hubby who encourages me to do whatever makes me happy?? Pretty superb:-)

coupons

 This week is SUPER DOUBLES at the Teeter. That means they will double coupons up to $2.00. How sweet is that? I spent roughly $30 and saved $107!! Hard to beat savings like that!

lazy days on the beach

Earlier this week and the next few days were just what the doctor ordered for this tired teacher! 

summer fruits & veggies

I love all the fresh foods that are available at this time of year. They are really encouraging us to expand our taste buds. I don't hate it.

wonderful friends & family who voted for me
I was selected as one of the winners!! My plate will now be made! Thank you all VERY much:-)

massages
Enough said.

What are you thankful for this week??  

School's Out!

School isn't really out for forever, but it is out for the summer! After a long, and often stressful, second year I am very grateful for a few months of rest. A reflection of the past year:

I would be lost without my teammates!

Their humor and realistic attitudes kept me grounded. If it weren't for their support and faith in me as a teacher I never would have received BTOY.

You have to laugh.

A day without laughter is a day wasted.

-Charlie Chaplin

Collaboration is key!

It is amazing what can happen when you put your heads together. So many great things came out of meetings this year. I am hopeful for the awesome things we have in place for next year's kiddos.

Put your best foot forward

You may be having a hard day. You may be ready to fall asleep standing. You may be ready to curl up in a ball and cry. You still need to put your best foot forth; your kids deserve that much.

Pray.

Never give up faith that God has a purpose for each student, despite how stressed they may make you at that moment!

I am so grateful for this year and the experiences I had. If it weren't for the lessons from my students, administration, and co-workers I wouldn't be where I am today!