So, I have two exciting announcements to make! AHEM!!!
I officially survived my first legitimate Parent/Teacher Conference! Yay!
Aaaand...
"Dia de los muertos" is coming up here in about 3 weeks!
I will now explain how these two events are related, at least in my current life. Let me start by saying that this past week of Spanish teaching was insane for me, insanely busy that is. I averaged about 5 hours of sleep a night and maybe one hour of socializing a day, which, by the way, is both incredibly abnormal and unhealthy for me. But nevertheless, the show went on. Sometimes as a teacher I feel like a performing monkey on high heels.
Anywho, we had parent/teacher conferences on Wednesday and Thursday night. So, I got home both nights around 8:30-9:00pm completely wasted. And on Wednesday night I still had some planning to do for a lesson on "Dia de los muertos" I was to teach Thursday. So, going into 11:00pm, I found this incredible song on Youtube, which you should definitely watch by the way; it's called: "Cancion las calaveras". With the aide of a sudden adrenaline rush, I was inspired to create a dance to this song. And to prove it was inspired, within 20 minutes of discovering it on Youtube, two of my roommates and I were performing this dance for the other 3 roommates and anyone else who happened to be over that night. (I often feel sorry for the girls who live in the apartment below us. I hope they don't hate us.) At any rate, it was a nice way to work off my post-bedtime, hyper-frenzy adrenaline rush. After dancing it through about ten times, I slept like a clay brick.
But the best part of this inspiration was watching my students dance to this song in my classroom on Thursday afternoon. It was hard to believe that a ridiculous dance that I had made up late at night with Aubree had turned into an incredibly entertaining class performance. To beat that though, I definitely did not expect to hear the following at parent/teacher conference Thursday night:
"My daughter just loves your class. She thinks it is so much fun. In fact, when she came home from school today, she taught me this cute little dance she learned in your class."
I could just picture this girl dancing and singing for her mom: "Tumba, tumba, tumba vacia, cierrate ya porque viene la fria. Ja ja ja, que risa me da! Ja ja ja, no me alcanzara!" (Aubree and I have been singing this song ever since Wednesday. I'm telling you it's catchy.) I often wonder how crazy it is that I get paid to simply teach my students to be as silly as I am naturally. Those lucky parents. :P
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
The magic ingredient to happiness
I have three words for you:
READ YOUR SCRIPTURES!
Do it. In fact, if you haven't already done so today, leave my blog and go ahead and do it. I give you permission. You can finish reading this later.
So, as a first year school teacher, I have had a large load to carry, and the silly thing is that I had been trying to carry it all on my own. The first month and a half of school this year was filled with many tears, high anxiety and lack of sleep. I was still somewhat happy, but having lost a great deal of balance in my life, I was growing increasingly miserable.
Often I would pray and ask Heavenly Father, "Why is this so hard?" I would plead with Him for help.
But...
Then I would fall into my 5 hour sleep coma, and would do nothing to aid Him in helping me.
Or in other words, I was asking for help, but I was not making the necessary efforts to receive that help. It's like asking someone for food because you're starving, but walking away before they can either give you food or tell you where you can find some.
I was not engaging in meaningful scripture study. Sure I would read a verse or two, a chapter or two. But I wasn't investing myself in my scripture study. So distracted with everything else on my mind, I simply couldn't concentrate, or so I told myself.
I spoke to a good friend about my troubles about two weeks ago. I wanted to know how I could place my burdens upon the Lord, whenever it felt that I was often carrying the heavy load all by myself and consequentially and frequently tripping and falling to the ground under its weight. His advice was both simple and timeless. He encouraged me to make meaningful scripture study a top priority in my daily routine. As he advised me, I knew that I would find answers to my prayers by following his counsel.
So, for the past two weeks, I have successfully carried out a meaningful scripture study everyday. And a miracle happened! Suddenly I find myself having not only the energy and capacity to deal with all of my job-related responsibilities, but also having the inspiration to do so effectively. I've felt my burdens lift as I make time for reading and pondering the Book of Mormon and various conference talks by the apostles and prophets. I have felt immensely happy despite a tight and demanding schedule and a ceiling high stack of to-do lists. I have felt peace in the place of anxiety stress. I have felt relief and comfort on mornings when I normally would have felt fear. And I know these blessings are a direct result of me reading the scriptures everyday.
So, get off the internet, and go read your scriptures. Do it! :D
READ YOUR SCRIPTURES!
Do it. In fact, if you haven't already done so today, leave my blog and go ahead and do it. I give you permission. You can finish reading this later.
So, as a first year school teacher, I have had a large load to carry, and the silly thing is that I had been trying to carry it all on my own. The first month and a half of school this year was filled with many tears, high anxiety and lack of sleep. I was still somewhat happy, but having lost a great deal of balance in my life, I was growing increasingly miserable.
Often I would pray and ask Heavenly Father, "Why is this so hard?" I would plead with Him for help.
But...
Then I would fall into my 5 hour sleep coma, and would do nothing to aid Him in helping me.
Or in other words, I was asking for help, but I was not making the necessary efforts to receive that help. It's like asking someone for food because you're starving, but walking away before they can either give you food or tell you where you can find some.
I was not engaging in meaningful scripture study. Sure I would read a verse or two, a chapter or two. But I wasn't investing myself in my scripture study. So distracted with everything else on my mind, I simply couldn't concentrate, or so I told myself.
I spoke to a good friend about my troubles about two weeks ago. I wanted to know how I could place my burdens upon the Lord, whenever it felt that I was often carrying the heavy load all by myself and consequentially and frequently tripping and falling to the ground under its weight. His advice was both simple and timeless. He encouraged me to make meaningful scripture study a top priority in my daily routine. As he advised me, I knew that I would find answers to my prayers by following his counsel.
So, for the past two weeks, I have successfully carried out a meaningful scripture study everyday. And a miracle happened! Suddenly I find myself having not only the energy and capacity to deal with all of my job-related responsibilities, but also having the inspiration to do so effectively. I've felt my burdens lift as I make time for reading and pondering the Book of Mormon and various conference talks by the apostles and prophets. I have felt immensely happy despite a tight and demanding schedule and a ceiling high stack of to-do lists. I have felt peace in the place of anxiety stress. I have felt relief and comfort on mornings when I normally would have felt fear. And I know these blessings are a direct result of me reading the scriptures everyday.
So, get off the internet, and go read your scriptures. Do it! :D
Monday, September 12, 2011
An Inexplicably Amazing Day
Is it a chemical thing? Is it just me feeling happy for no reason? Is it as simple as me realizing that my life is pretty darn stinking good? I dunno. But for some reason, I came home from work today feeling like a million bucks. And I honestly cannot explain why. I mean, I actually woke up feeling incredibly overwhelmed and kind of anxious about how prepared I was to teach today. And though most of my classes went pretty well, in my last Spanish class today, I had two kids start wrestling, right there on the floor of my classroom. And, that's when the claws came out! Even I was surprised how easily my tone changed from pleasant fun teacher to no-nonsense drill sergeant.
So, despite how I began and ended the teaching portion of my day, I somehow between Sandy and Provo transformed from a stressed-out teacher into an elated human being. How is this possible? I'd definitely like to figure out how I can make this a regular occurrence.
Well, at any rate, below is my attempt to describe and somewhat preserve how I currently feel...
I want to kiss everyone I know on the forehead and then squeeze them tightly for a good minute, just to make sure they know they're loved, and especially by me.
I feel like running up a mountain just so I can feel my lungs and legs burn and then stare at the glittery city lights. (And the strange part is, I would totally enjoy doing this alone... but probably not a safe or wise idea, seeing that it is 10 at night.)
I feel like making 100 cupcakes and sharing them one by one with 50 other people... For some reason cupcakes sound good. (Did I mention I've had cupcake dreams before? I felt like such a sinner eating all of them cupcakes, but HOT DANG, them cupcakes were good! Did I also mention that I'm an English Teaching minor? ...)
I think I could do 3 workout videos in a row, and then take a 40 minute shower with zero singing breaks. My song selection would be: the elephant love melody from Moulin Rouge, JB's "One Time", Regina Spektor's "On the Radio", "At Last" by Etta James, and maybe a few of my own.
And I even could pull an all-nighter tonight just to make some fun memories with my besties, my roommates, even though I know I'd pay for it in 2 days.
I dunno, maybe all of this is stemming from having become so preoccupied with all my new responsibilities as a "real" adult with a real job. I think I've reached a point where I can no longer care as much as I have been trying to care because it's simply not worth all of the associated stress and anxiety. I will do all that I can do, and I will remain responsible. But, everything that I cannot do, I will rest in the arms of the Lord. He will make my burdens light, and He will help me to do the same for others. I mean, honestly... how am I suppose to have a positive influence on the youth I teach everyday If I slowly turn myself into Miss Cranky Pants? I'll tell you right here and right now, in the words of Glozell, "It ain't gon' happen!"
So, despite how I began and ended the teaching portion of my day, I somehow between Sandy and Provo transformed from a stressed-out teacher into an elated human being. How is this possible? I'd definitely like to figure out how I can make this a regular occurrence.
Well, at any rate, below is my attempt to describe and somewhat preserve how I currently feel...
I want to kiss everyone I know on the forehead and then squeeze them tightly for a good minute, just to make sure they know they're loved, and especially by me.
I feel like running up a mountain just so I can feel my lungs and legs burn and then stare at the glittery city lights. (And the strange part is, I would totally enjoy doing this alone... but probably not a safe or wise idea, seeing that it is 10 at night.)
I feel like making 100 cupcakes and sharing them one by one with 50 other people... For some reason cupcakes sound good. (Did I mention I've had cupcake dreams before? I felt like such a sinner eating all of them cupcakes, but HOT DANG, them cupcakes were good! Did I also mention that I'm an English Teaching minor? ...)
I think I could do 3 workout videos in a row, and then take a 40 minute shower with zero singing breaks. My song selection would be: the elephant love melody from Moulin Rouge, JB's "One Time", Regina Spektor's "On the Radio", "At Last" by Etta James, and maybe a few of my own.
And I even could pull an all-nighter tonight just to make some fun memories with my besties, my roommates, even though I know I'd pay for it in 2 days.
I dunno, maybe all of this is stemming from having become so preoccupied with all my new responsibilities as a "real" adult with a real job. I think I've reached a point where I can no longer care as much as I have been trying to care because it's simply not worth all of the associated stress and anxiety. I will do all that I can do, and I will remain responsible. But, everything that I cannot do, I will rest in the arms of the Lord. He will make my burdens light, and He will help me to do the same for others. I mean, honestly... how am I suppose to have a positive influence on the youth I teach everyday If I slowly turn myself into Miss Cranky Pants? I'll tell you right here and right now, in the words of Glozell, "It ain't gon' happen!"
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Airports are NOT for babies.
Continental Airlines British check-in lady:
"Miss, can you put your carry on into that receptacle? There, you see? It is too large. I'm sorry, but it has to be regulation size in order to go onto the plane."
In the meantime, I am starring quizzically at my carry-on, that puke brown sturdy piece of luggage I've been using as a carry-on for the past 5 years now. It stubbornly rested at the top of the bin due to a handle on the end that was about 1 cm too long.
"What was this lady freaking out about?" Shrugging, I turned back to British woman for my next cue.
"Miss, at least let me weigh your stow luggage. There. It is blah blah blah ounces away from its maximum weight limit. You cannot add anything more to this suitcase, unless you want to pay the fee."
"How much is the fee?"
"$200."
...
" Miss, what is that you're doing? I need to know what you are doing!"
"Well, I'm putting everything from my carry-on into my backpack so that I can throw it away." (It seemed like the obvious solution to me.)
"Well, you cannot re-pack your things in the check-in area. Please move out of the check in area!" (She looked disgusted with me.)
I lifted my heavy suitcase and pulled it away along with my other bags in order to stuff twenty books and dirty underwear into my backpack.
"Miss, I need you to remove your trolley. It is in the way!"
I got up, scooted my luggage cart out of the way as well, and continued the repacking. Ten minutes ticked by before I was able to successfully piece my differently sized books into my seam-popping backpack. I then began regretting hauling my summer reading to England with me. Trying to zip shut my bag, I realized that not everything from my carry-on would fit, even after stuffing some things into my purse. So, I left the items I felt I could part with in the tiny brown suitcase, which I was informed I could discard over at security. Hefting my now 60-something-pounder backpack onto my back, I readjusted the straps so that my arms could squeeze through. I had transformed into Quasimodo's first cousin.
With hunchback and all, I advanced toward the check-in counter yet for a second attempt. And to my delight and surprise, I noticed the cheeky check-in attendant that had sent me on this frantic repacking adventure was now nowhere to be seen. In fact, I was able to quickly slip something into the big suitcase, weigh it, and see it go down the belt with no hassle. Then while I was walking towards security, a light bulb went on. And that is when the redistributing began. This time it only took about 2 minutes.
With carry-on re-situated and backpack relieved, I floated through security without a word. Amazingly the same thing happened as I boarded the plane. And not one soul blinked an eye when I slid my carry-on into the overhead compartment.
As I effortlessly shut it, I heard a satisfying "click".
I smiled the entire 9 hour ride home.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Coming Soon
Excitement is in the air!!!
I am currently anticipating so many exciting things that are about to happen in the near future!
To list them off:
I am blessed.
<3
I am currently anticipating so many exciting things that are about to happen in the near future!
To list them off:
- The final Harry Potter movie comes out July 14th (Hardly 2.5 weeks away)
- Justin Bieber's next album comes out on Nov 17th
- Colbie Caillat's new album comes out July 11th ( 2 weeks baby!)
- I finish recording my cd album in 2 weeks
- I start my teaching career in 7 weeks
- I get to see Aubree Hellen Ruth Johnson and Heidi Jensen in 6 days
I am blessed.
<3
Monday, June 13, 2011
Too excited to sleep!
On Wednesday (via Skype video stream):
"My last question is simply, when will I find out if you are offering me the job?"
"We'll definitely have a decision by Friday. We want to fill this position soon, but we need to check references first."
On Friday:
-no email
Saturday & Sunday:
-same story
Monday:
-I think I checked my email every two hours, just in case. (I have issues.)
-And remarkably at midnight, England time, which is 5 pm Utah time I checked my email and there it was!
All I needed was to scan the first line quickly to read "we'd like to offer".
Offer! Offer! I know exactly what they'd like to offer! Do I dare read on? Or should I try to breathe first? Am I really this blessed?
I jumped up and hugged my brother-in-law. Where is my sister at a time like this?! (Stuck in a stuffy plane flying home from a wedding photo shoot in the states) Oh, but I cannot wait to tell her! Good thing she has no access to the internet for the next 15 hours.
In short, I will be working as a full-time Spanish teacher at Eastmont Middle School starting in August. Yay!
"My last question is simply, when will I find out if you are offering me the job?"
"We'll definitely have a decision by Friday. We want to fill this position soon, but we need to check references first."
On Friday:
-no email
Saturday & Sunday:
-same story
Monday:
-I think I checked my email every two hours, just in case. (I have issues.)
-And remarkably at midnight, England time, which is 5 pm Utah time I checked my email and there it was!
All I needed was to scan the first line quickly to read "we'd like to offer".
Offer! Offer! I know exactly what they'd like to offer! Do I dare read on? Or should I try to breathe first? Am I really this blessed?
I jumped up and hugged my brother-in-law. Where is my sister at a time like this?! (Stuck in a stuffy plane flying home from a wedding photo shoot in the states) Oh, but I cannot wait to tell her! Good thing she has no access to the internet for the next 15 hours.
In short, I will be working as a full-time Spanish teacher at Eastmont Middle School starting in August. Yay!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Diapers and Sword Fights
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| Weslee experimenting with my camera. I was showing him how to take a picture, and he actually took a fairly decent picture of me. |
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| Sleeping baby Kent. My little sweet pea. |
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| A new development: Kent holding his own bottle. (4 months) |
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| Daddy, my bro-in-law Kevin, brushing Weslee's teeth |
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| My awesome sister Teri and Sweet Pea |
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| Love that cheese! |
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| Kent's favorite swing |
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| Kevin and Weslee washing their hands |
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| Crazy man! |
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| Weslee's amazing hair |
Monday, May 16, 2011
It's a Toaster!
I may be single, but I have 155 kids...my Spanish students.
I may not have biological children...but today I got a toaster.
It's not a boy. Not a girl.
No.
It's a toaster!!!
So, today I said goodbye to 3 of my 6 Spanish classes. And after an entire semester of hard work and disciplining, I decided to bring my guitar to work, pop some popcorn and play a video of everything we've done in class.
It turned out to be a greater success than I had imagined. And a few of my students surprised me with their various gifts.
Zack with his kind and thoughtful note.
Carson, who lingered after school just to hear me play and sing one more song.
A handful of kids who told me thank you and that they'd miss me.
And then there was Bryen.
Bryen is the kid who makes strange faces at me while I'm explaining a task to the class. Bryen is the kid who draws a circle with a X through it on every white board in my room. (I erase them frequently). Bryen is the kid who invented "the game". (Basically if you think about the idea of "the game" or a game or the word combination "the game", then essentially you lose the game.) And mostly, Bryen is the kid who would blare this voice recording on the loudest setting of his speakers when we were in the computer lab that yelled, "It's a toaster!"
It happened twice.
It was because of this that all semester I would hear students from his class say this phrase at random moments ALL THE TIME. Giggles would follow ceremoniously. Then I started seeing this phrase written on my white board when I wasn't looking, or on homework assignments for me to read. This one time I made the mistake of handing them an assignment with an array of pictures of household items on them, including... you guessed it... A TOASTER! You can imagine what these papers were covered in when they were turned in to me: large circles and arrows pointing to the toaster, and that coined phrase, "It's a toaster!" in capitalized, bold letters.
So, as you can see, Bryen has made himself quite the celebrity in this one Spanish class. Sometimes when he raises his hand, I am afraid to call on him. You never know if he's going to contribute to the lesson or throw it off entirely. Well, after playing my first song today, up went Bryen's hand, and what did he say?
"I have something for you."
The next thing I see emerging from his backpack is a shiny, new toaster. He hands it to me. Next come bread, a butter knife and some jam. Laughing inside, I held up the gift, and surrendering said, "It's a toaster."
I may not have biological children...but today I got a toaster.
It's not a boy. Not a girl.
No.
It's a toaster!!!
So, today I said goodbye to 3 of my 6 Spanish classes. And after an entire semester of hard work and disciplining, I decided to bring my guitar to work, pop some popcorn and play a video of everything we've done in class.
It turned out to be a greater success than I had imagined. And a few of my students surprised me with their various gifts.
Zack with his kind and thoughtful note.
Carson, who lingered after school just to hear me play and sing one more song.
A handful of kids who told me thank you and that they'd miss me.
And then there was Bryen.
Bryen is the kid who makes strange faces at me while I'm explaining a task to the class. Bryen is the kid who draws a circle with a X through it on every white board in my room. (I erase them frequently). Bryen is the kid who invented "the game". (Basically if you think about the idea of "the game" or a game or the word combination "the game", then essentially you lose the game.) And mostly, Bryen is the kid who would blare this voice recording on the loudest setting of his speakers when we were in the computer lab that yelled, "It's a toaster!"
It happened twice.
It was because of this that all semester I would hear students from his class say this phrase at random moments ALL THE TIME. Giggles would follow ceremoniously. Then I started seeing this phrase written on my white board when I wasn't looking, or on homework assignments for me to read. This one time I made the mistake of handing them an assignment with an array of pictures of household items on them, including... you guessed it... A TOASTER! You can imagine what these papers were covered in when they were turned in to me: large circles and arrows pointing to the toaster, and that coined phrase, "It's a toaster!" in capitalized, bold letters.
So, as you can see, Bryen has made himself quite the celebrity in this one Spanish class. Sometimes when he raises his hand, I am afraid to call on him. You never know if he's going to contribute to the lesson or throw it off entirely. Well, after playing my first song today, up went Bryen's hand, and what did he say?
"I have something for you."
The next thing I see emerging from his backpack is a shiny, new toaster. He hands it to me. Next come bread, a butter knife and some jam. Laughing inside, I held up the gift, and surrendering said, "It's a toaster."
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
I believe in LANGE
- Oh great... another talk about lange - droned Aubree.
- Lange? - I snickered
- Ha ha! Lange?! No! Change, I said change! - retorted Aubs.
- Lange. I love lange! I’m all about lange.- me
-Your face is lange! –you guessed it
The stake high councilman’s talk was langed forever after that. But, I guess that’s what happens when you sit next to your best friend in Stake Conference. I’ll have to review my notes to remember what exactly I got out of that meeting, other than a good back scratch and a new nonsense word. But we’ll save that for another post on another day. Today, I want to talk about lange.
Sick of that word yet?
Well it just so happens that THAT word, if there were ever a word that you could roll the past 3 years of my life up into, would be the word. So, sick of it or not, I guess I’d better get used to it. And while we’re on the topic, why don’t we take a look at my “recent langes” list.
RECENT LANGES:
So, as you can see, not all the langes are bad langes. And though I will miss chillin’ with Aubree and adding to our endless list of inside jokes, I will start adding again to that list that my sister and I had to put down when she moved to England. I miss that list. And most of all, I miss my family. (Did I mention I get to go to Spain?!)
Hasta el agosto, Provo. ¡Te extrañaré!
- Lange? - I snickered
- Ha ha! Lange?! No! Change, I said change! - retorted Aubs.
- Lange. I love lange! I’m all about lange.- me
-Your face is lange! –you guessed it
The stake high councilman’s talk was langed forever after that. But, I guess that’s what happens when you sit next to your best friend in Stake Conference. I’ll have to review my notes to remember what exactly I got out of that meeting, other than a good back scratch and a new nonsense word. But we’ll save that for another post on another day. Today, I want to talk about lange.
Sick of that word yet?
Well it just so happens that THAT word, if there were ever a word that you could roll the past 3 years of my life up into, would be the word. So, sick of it or not, I guess I’d better get used to it. And while we’re on the topic, why don’t we take a look at my “recent langes” list.
RECENT LANGES:
Plan | Langed Plan |
| Live in Provo all summer | Live in England all summer |
| Get a tan | Live in England all summer |
| Finish Independent Study course in Provo | Finish it in a week and a half to go to England |
| Chill with Aubree | Skype Aubree |
| Spend summer with friends | Spend summer with adorable nephews and sister |
| Get some boring job to make a couple of bucks | Read tons of books, play with babies and go to Spain |
| Finish and distribute my cd in Provo | Finish cd quickly and distribute in England |
| Play my guitar ALL THE TIME | Play bro-in-law’s guitar ALL THE TIME |
So, as you can see, not all the langes are bad langes. And though I will miss chillin’ with Aubree and adding to our endless list of inside jokes, I will start adding again to that list that my sister and I had to put down when she moved to England. I miss that list. And most of all, I miss my family. (Did I mention I get to go to Spain?!)
Hasta el agosto, Provo. ¡Te extrañaré!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
And this little piggy went "Wee Wee Wee" all the way home!
Teaching.
It's a test of one's ability to multitask.
A way of proving to one's self that no matter how many things you're already carrying, it's always possible to carry one more.
So, the other morning...not day but 6 am at the teacher's butt crack of dawn, I found myself walking out the door with a backpack jammed full and zipped tight on my back, and a purse, paper/file container, oatmeal bowl, water cup and keys all in my hands. I wasn't sure how I was going to open and close the door to the garage. But then I discovered the incredible utility and strength of my pinky finger. With my one little pinky...and mind you the other 4 fingers were already being used to carry or hold something, I opened and shut the door, and I managed to even push the garage opener button on the wall!
Never underestimate the power of "The Pinky!"
"SKA-DOOSH!"
It's a test of one's ability to multitask.
A way of proving to one's self that no matter how many things you're already carrying, it's always possible to carry one more.
So, the other morning...not day but 6 am at the teacher's butt crack of dawn, I found myself walking out the door with a backpack jammed full and zipped tight on my back, and a purse, paper/file container, oatmeal bowl, water cup and keys all in my hands. I wasn't sure how I was going to open and close the door to the garage. But then I discovered the incredible utility and strength of my pinky finger. With my one little pinky...and mind you the other 4 fingers were already being used to carry or hold something, I opened and shut the door, and I managed to even push the garage opener button on the wall!
Never underestimate the power of "The Pinky!"
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
I love my high school students already
"My friend totally made me this fire airbender necklace out of wood. I love it!"
"This class is so boring."
"Senorita Aranda, do you actually LIKE working here?"
My name's not Nate, it's Bryce."
"Conjugar? What does that even mean? I never understand what he's saying. Ugh!"
"Senorita, que tienes anos?.... "Cuantos anos tengo?"
"When are YOU going to start teaching us? Today? Tomorrow? Soon?"
So, it's been a week and a half, and I'm already loving these high school kids. They are so hilarious that I find myself constantly trying not to laugh at things they say and do. On Wednesday I officially get to take over the class. They become MINE! I'm having a blast thinking about real (vs. imaginary) students when I plan my lessons.
"This class is so boring."
"Senorita Aranda, do you actually LIKE working here?"
My name's not Nate, it's Bryce."
"Conjugar? What does that even mean? I never understand what he's saying. Ugh!"
"Senorita, que tienes anos?.... "Cuantos anos tengo?"
"When are YOU going to start teaching us? Today? Tomorrow? Soon?"
So, it's been a week and a half, and I'm already loving these high school kids. They are so hilarious that I find myself constantly trying not to laugh at things they say and do. On Wednesday I officially get to take over the class. They become MINE! I'm having a blast thinking about real (vs. imaginary) students when I plan my lessons.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Christmas music, oh how I love thee...
Since December hit...wait, make that November, a certain local radio station has been playing Christmas music. Sick of being brainwashed with Katy Perry, Pink, Bruno Mars and Sarah Bareilles and their most recent hits played over and over again, I have found myself listening to that station on a fairly regular basis. And in so doing I've noticed how much calmer I feel when I'm singing along to my favorite Christmas songs. They carry a message of hope, of love, of faith.
Sunday was a Christmas music festival for me. I had the privilege of singing several beautiful and touching Christmas hymns and arrangements with my ward choir and stake choir. My calculated Christmas hymn singing time on Sunday summed a total of 5 hours! FIVE! And it was entirely rewarding.
One of the most simple yet most spiritual and touching songs for me was "Silent Night."As I reflected on the birth of the Savior, I sensed the sacredness of that night. I am so grateful for all that He has done for me. His birth and life on this earth comprise the true hope that I have in my heart that I can make it home one day to live with my Heavenly Father again. I know that Jesus Christ made it possible for me to repent and become clean of every sin, to become whole despite my many weaknesses, to be healed from the many difficult challenges and trials I continue to experience.
Here are a few videos that help me to feel the Christmas Spirit:
CLICK THE PAUSE BUTTON ON THE SIDEBAR TO TURN OFF MY BLOG MUSIC-->
Sunday was a Christmas music festival for me. I had the privilege of singing several beautiful and touching Christmas hymns and arrangements with my ward choir and stake choir. My calculated Christmas hymn singing time on Sunday summed a total of 5 hours! FIVE! And it was entirely rewarding.
One of the most simple yet most spiritual and touching songs for me was "Silent Night."As I reflected on the birth of the Savior, I sensed the sacredness of that night. I am so grateful for all that He has done for me. His birth and life on this earth comprise the true hope that I have in my heart that I can make it home one day to live with my Heavenly Father again. I know that Jesus Christ made it possible for me to repent and become clean of every sin, to become whole despite my many weaknesses, to be healed from the many difficult challenges and trials I continue to experience.
Here are a few videos that help me to feel the Christmas Spirit:
CLICK THE PAUSE BUTTON ON THE SIDEBAR TO TURN OFF MY BLOG MUSIC-->
Remember the reason for the season. Spend time serving others, spend time with family, spend time pondering on the birth and the life of the Savior, Jesus Christ. I know he Lives. I know he loves us. I'm so grateful for all he has done for me and for my loved ones. Merry Christmas Everyone!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Lamericks
I had some time to kill today while waiting for a meeting in the JFSB. So, I decided to take a little stroll down the 4th floor. And I began reading a bulletin board that read: Lamericks. Feel free to add your own lame limerick to the board. As I perused the hand-scratched limericks, I felt inspired to write a few of my own.
Liverick:
Have you heard of Old Man Quiver
Who lives down by the river?
They say that his van
Is stocked full of cans
Of preserved onion and liver!
Smellerick:
There once was a foot with six toes.
The sixth one resembled a nose.
It sniffed in a shoe,
And then turned quite blue
From smelling a smell that it loathed.
Limericks...a wonderful way to waste time and still feel semi-productive.
Liverick:
Have you heard of Old Man Quiver
Who lives down by the river?
They say that his van
Is stocked full of cans
Of preserved onion and liver!
Smellerick:
There once was a foot with six toes.
The sixth one resembled a nose.
It sniffed in a shoe,
And then turned quite blue
From smelling a smell that it loathed.
Limericks...a wonderful way to waste time and still feel semi-productive.
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