A Little Paint

When I walked into my "new" classroom for the year, over the summer, for the first time, I just stopped in disbelief. It was hideous. The walls were a depressing shade of "prison blue", the ceiling looked like it could cave in at any moment, and there were stacks of this and that everywhere.

How could I teach here? And honestly, how could my students learn in an environment where even their teacher was unwilling and uninspired?!

(BEFORE: July 25)


So, armed with a bucket of paint and a few purchases, my team of intrepid young people helped me attack the room. Now, it makes me happy to be there! (And it only took a few dollars and a week out of my summer to make such an improvement in the room -- and in my attitude!)

My gorgeous classroom, Aug 2:

Please especially note the tree crafted by my daughter and her friends. It makes me so full of joy every time I see it! And it's right across from my teacher desk. :)

Parts of the Family

Two events happened on Sunday evening that brought home the idea of the closeness of family.

Sunday evening at church was Game Night! This time, we had chili & nachos and all wore our pajamas! I love getting together with the church family in such an informal way. It helps us get to know each other, and just be able to spend time together with these people who are such an important part of life. There was a variety of games around the room: CatchPhrase, 5 Second Rule, Apples to Apples, Sorry, Risk, Battleship, and the kids had a My Little Pony card game going on, as well as the PS3 which the hubby brought from home.

I think the highlight for me, though, was watching a couple of 9th graders and a 7th grader play Chutes and Ladders! Most of us played this game as kids growing up in the 70s and 80s. But these 3 young people played it like I've never seen before. They were really into it -- determined to win. But the best part was how much fun they were having! It was awesome to see teenagers REALLY laugh!


Later, after we'd all come home, and everyone in my house had gone to sleep, we heard crying outside the bedroom door. This was about 11:00 at night. My son was standing there outside the door, distraught because he'd forgotten a big project that was due Monday morning. So, we jumped out of bed and got to work. No scolding, or yelling; he'd already been upset enough about it. It was time to put behind the blame and get going on the project. I worked with my son on his writing project, and then we all dived in to the shoebox model of Inuit life. :) Even my daughter got up to make a clay model of a seal for the project! You know what? It only took us about a half hour to complete what might have been days' worth of work.

And here's what really got me. Both of these Sunday events were really about family. Family coming together; family working and playing together; family being there for one another, no matter whether it's fun time or work time.

♪I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God♪

Thanksgiving

What a wonderful Thanksgiving this has been! First, Dad got to come visit. Then, we spent a quiet Thanksgiving at home. And then, Saturday.

Saturday was a great day. The kids' little cousin got to spend the night on Friday evening, and they got to spend the day Saturday running around together. Then, lunch on Saturday became our big family Thanksgiving celebration! All of my husband's family came for lunch. We made brisket, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, and stuffing. Everyone else brought sides and dessert. The meal was fantastic, and it was so fun to share our new home with the family!

After the meal, we cleared off the dining room table and played Apples to Apples. (This is a fabulous game that you simply must try! Easy enough for young kids, but hysterical when played with sisters-in-law!) Later, we moved the game to my father-in-law's house to "supervise" the kids.

All the grandkids went down to PaPa's house to decorate his tree and hang up their ornament wreaths. This has become a yearly tradition, and the kids have so much fun. The wreaths are a tradition that my mother-in-law began with her children: each year, a new ornament is added to each child's wreath. My father-in-law has continued the tradition with his grandkids, adding new ornaments to their wreaths every year. And they get to pick the ornaments (fun). The funniest part is that PaPa always leaves the tree decorated in whatever way the kids make it. Here is this year's effort:

In the evening, just as everything was settling down and everyone was departing for their own homes, my daughter's friends began arriving for a sleepover. (I know, what was I thinking, right?) My son fled to PaPa's house for the night, smart boy. The girls had a great time! This is the first sleepover my daughter has ever hosted -- we'd never had the space before! She had a great time, and her friends had a great time, and I had a great time too! Imagine my surprise at being asked to participate in a game of Apples to Apples with the girls! :) My poor husband hid in our bedroom the whole night.

All in all, it was a great Thanksgiving. A memorable holiday, to say the least!

Prepping for Christmas? Try reading some of the great Christmas books by Richard Paul Evans!

BFFs

I have read, and reread, a wonderful book over the past two weeks. It's called MWF seeking BFF, by Rachel Bertsche. The book is about the author's search for a best friend. After moving to Chicago with her husband, the author misses her bffs in New York. She has a few acquaintances, but no one she can really call a best friend. Thus begins her year-long search for a local bff.

Rachel's stories of meeting new people, and learning to make friends as an adult, are funny and poignant at the same time. She also mixes in plenty of research-based facts that support her ideas and theories that drive her search.

The book made me really think about my own friendships.

Most of my deepest, truest friends were made when I was in school. I have often said that my best friend during my growing-up years was my brother. He was the one who always stood by me, and believed that I could do things even I didn't think I could. (This odd belief inspired me to go out for track my senior year -- which lasted for two days.) My two best-friends-from-birth (since they were born just two months before me, and I really don't remember a time without them) are still my friends, although I rarely see them and only visit with them via facebook. Speaking of facebook, I've been able to reconnect with several friends I made in my elementary years that I haven't seen since my family moved in 6th grade. I think my closest friends were made during my college years. Even though we often disagreed about a lot of things, this group of friends still remain the closest group of friends I have (though most of them I only visit through facebook).

The book also struck a chord with me in that I, too, have lived in my present location for 5 years, but have not made a lot of close friends. It's hard to make close friends when moving into a small town. Everyone already has their group or clique, many of them having been friends since birth -- or at least kindergarten. Also, it's my husband's hometown, so I get the feeling that everyone expects me to already know them. I don't.

I do have friends. Most of my friends either attend my church or are parents of kids the same age as mine. But I think I'm still seeking my bff, the best friend forever to whom I can run to or call at all hours of the night.

Let me also mention that although the author of the book talks about her brother, she doesn't have one special friend that I do have -- my sisters-in-law. No, God did not bless me with sisters. He must have known that I would need sisters later on in life! :) I have four fabulous sisters-in-law who are truly my sisters and my friends.

So, while I am going to reread Rachel's book (again) and think about new ways to make -- and keep -- friends, I feel blessed to have met many wonderful people in my life already.

And here's hoping I'm make some new friends along the way.

For more about the book, author, and her blog, check out http://mwfseekingbff.com/

Birthday Girl

Yesterday, the family celebrated my daughter's birthday. She wanted a Belle/France theme, but we couldn't find Paris decorations, so it became a very pink princess party. She loved it.

We had a big party at PaPa's house. All the family was on hand, and daughter was allowed to invite a few friends. It began with just three friends, but ended up as five.

I believe she learned a valuable lesson about friendship during the whole birthday invitation process. First she had to decide which three girls (her closest friends) would be invited. After inviting these three, she got to thinking. There is one girl in her class who has always been a friend, but for some reason, this little girl has found herself on the "outside" of the class friendship circles. She really has felt left out and lost. So, after some discussion, my daughter said she really needed to invite this friend. So she did.

Then, there is another friend. She has always been close to my daughter, but definitely is part of a different crowd. You know, those popular cool girls who seem to have it all. Well, she has always come to my daughter's birthday parties. And my daughter said she is still her friend, will always be her friend, no matter what. So, she gets invited too.

So, at this small family birthday party, we also had 5 of my daughter's closest friends. Wouldn't have it any other way!

What's a great book about friendship? Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass. Great lesson in becoming friends with those who may be different than yourself, and learning to be a better friend. Important book for tweens, but everyone could read this book and enjoy its gentle humor.

Small Groups and Ivy

I had such a good time yesterday evening, at the new women's meeting at church. Although calling it a meeting makes it seem like a drudgery, it is really fun! I think sometimes I just need to hang out with friends, in this case, no matter what age. Our group may be a Bible study of sorts, but it's also about getting together. It's about the support we feel from being with each other, sharing our concerns, laughing with each other, learning more about each other, and yes, learning from the Bible. And of course, eating snacks. :) We had about 5 at our first meeting, and we had 8 last night. Hopefully, even more will come in February, when the weather is nicer (maybe).

The best part of the evening, I think, was just being with other women. So often, the groups I'm with are either groups of both men & women, or groups of children. It's nice to just be with friends who know and understand you, and love you for who you are.

One thing we do at the end of the get-together involves an "invisible trinket". It's something that we imagine taking with us from the meeting, to think about for the rest of the month, until we get a new "treasure" at our next session. The trinket from last night was an ivy cutting (completely imaginary, but substantial). It's to remind me that a life of love is like an ivy: take care of it and it will grow, and you can share it with others. I totally love that thought!

We are studying a book, but I don't remember the name of it. The thing is, that part isn't really that important. The most important thing is being in the moment, knowing that you are loved and understood. And trust me, that's a God thing!