Grit, Growing, and Waiting...oh, and Coffee and 35 Weeks

Linking up with two different groups today, but attempting to combine my post into one, sort-of unified thought process.  We'll see how it goes.  I can't be held responsible for what comes out, okay? 
Today's 5 Minute Friday prompt?  Grit.  I am going to do my darndest (that should be a word if it isn't) to keep my writing to 5 minutes, because today's class schedule is a mess due to an unexpected snow day yesterday (lovely, by the way, I got caught up on almost all of my grading), and so my first class is starting much sooner than expected.

I titled this post Grit, Growing, and Waiting.  Because right now, at 35 weeks pregnant, I'm gritting my teeth and plowing into the things I need to do, growing a lot (pun most definitely intended), and waiting for the next stage of this experience.

Grit.  We're coming up just over a month until our due date, and less than a month until my last day of work. That month is full, though.  There are a bunch of things that have to get done for work, and I'm not being a control freak, I promise.  I need to just grit my teeth through the tired and do them.  This should be no problem, I'm independent and strong and stubborn, but it's overwhelming at times.  It's gritty to know that I'm about to embark on something I'm not going to do perfectly.  There are things I do need to let go of, like having my house be as clean as I want it to be before he comes, which means there is going to be a lot more grit than I'd like. 

Growing.  There's a lot of growth going on here, related to that grit.  Obviously my belly is still growing expansively, as people love to comment, and that's gritty for me.  I've had some body image issues in my life, and while I realize this is different, it's still hard.  I don't recognize myself at all, and I don't always like it.  But there's more growth due to the grit going on here, too.  I'm learning more and more about God, about family, about priorities, because as I pursue Relationship with Him, He's calling me to realize new, and sometimes hard to do, things.

Waiting.  Growth is often accompanied by waiting, don't you think?  There's a wait-time for the things you're pondering to sink in, truly.  There's a wait-time for you to really start to practice things, and much of the time, a lot of practice is required before we even get close to doing things well.  And of course, despite all the things on my "to-do before baby" list, I'm waiting.  Waiting for it to be done and my little boy to be here.  Waiting to see what it's really going to be like, to see if I can do labor naturally, to see his face and the color of his eyes, to take him home to a hopefully finished nursery, to be a mom.  Waiting.  And waiting, well, it's gritty sometimes.  And it grows me.  And so we're back again.

That was my 5 minutes.  I think I did okay, don't you?

 I do, just for fun, want to add in a quick pregnancy update as I sip on my coffee (yes, mostly it's decaf), but I wanted to be honest and not count it in my 5 minutes.

Pregnancy Update

How Far Along: Nearly 35 Weeks.  Baby Center tells me I'm there on Mondays, but our due date is officially 5 weeks away from tomorrow.  I keep thinking this feels really close, but my doctor keeps saying "in the last month we'll....such and such," so apparently 36+ weeks is when we will have "arrived" at the close stage.

Size of Baby:  According to my belly, HUGE!  But really, about the weight of a honeydew (between 5 and a half pounds) and 18 inches long.  We haven't had an ultrasound for a long time, and I don't know if we will, so we may just find out officially on his birthday.

Maternity Clothes: Yes, and I am back to hating the idea.  I'm tired of them, but I don't want to spend more money since it's only a month more.  I was just looking at pictures of me when I first started to wear them, and really, it's astounding how much my belly has grown.  I'm huge, people.  Huge.  See for yourself (and yes, I know, it's only baby weight, I haven't gained too much elsewhere, but still.  Huge).

Gender: Boy!  At least, that's what we're going with.  Recently I've got it into my head that maybe the ultrasound tech was wrong, and he's a she, but I'm trying to not think about it.  We just spent a week with my cousin's boys (4 and 1), and I'm really starting to get it, this boy thing, and be excited.

Movement: Still lots, but it's uncomfortable sometimes as I feel like he's pushing my insides apart.  The other day he really punched me in class and I was like, "oh!" which concerned my students, of course.  They were in awe then, because they could see my belly moving from where they were sitting.  I like it, but sometimes I think he should be nicer to me.

Sleep:  Depends.  Last night was rough, but the last hour this morning was awesome.  It's hard to be comfortable at this point, so of course it's difficult to sleep.  But I'm getting enough to be functional, and I'm still ignoring the people who tell me it's practice for the rest of my life when I won't apparently sleep again.

What I Miss: As mentioned above, my body. I don't know who this person is sometimes.  Sometimes I feel cute and pretty, other times I feel yucky and unattractive.  Being able to tie my sneakers comfortably.  Being able to bend over comfortably.  Being able to sit comfortably.  Ha, I'm such a whiner.  It's not that bad.

Cravings: Grapefruit is my new favorite thing.  But besides that, I'll still take my salty food whenever.

Symptoms: Is feeling ready to do this thing a symptom?  If so, I have it.  Otherwise it's normal stuff, I think.  On the whole, despite the uncomfortable thing, I'd say I'm doing great.  A funny story: there was a question on a Spanish test I gave last week that asked, "What is probably that Mrs. C will do in class?"  Most kids responded with things like, "It's probably she'll give us homework or candy or play games" and things like that.  One student's response?  "It's probable that she'll go to the bathroom during class."  Oh, so sad, so hilarious, so true.

Words: Of Wisdom? To take each day as it comes.  Of Ridiculousness?  "Wow, you've gotten even bigger in the last week!"  "Wait, you're pregnant?" 

Best Moment of the Week: I suspect it will actually be tonight and tomorrow, when I have two baby showers and small group, so I'll have lots of time for some good connecting with friends - I've been feeling a little out of it as I've had a lot going on - and we'll get some hopefully fun and hopefully useful things for the Peanut!

What I'm Looking Forward To: Putting the nursery stuff and all Baby C's things away in his room and getting it all ready.  Holding my son.  Yeah, I'm pretty excited about that.  What else can compare to the fact that that is coming?

And here are my students, so it's time for me to get off the blog and do my job. Happy Friday!

A Little Peanut Changes Ordinary in a Big Way

Linking up this morning with two of my favorite Friday morning reads: Coffee Company and Five Minute Fridays.

At Coffee Company, we just share our lives, as we would over a cup of coffee.  See my post here about how I'm feeling about Pumpkin Spice Lattes.  At Five Minute Fridays, we get a topic to chat about each week and share whatever our hearts say on that topic.

Today's discussion at FMF works perfectly for what I wanted to share over coffee.

Our topic?

What's Ordinary.

The reality is, my ordinary is changing every day, friends, and here's why.

I actually normally am really bothered by people who put up pictures of their ultrasound.... I mean, who wants to look at my uterus?  But.... I decided to succumb and do it anyway.  Here's our little munchkin at about 11 weeks.  (I'm now about 14 weeks.)

Ginny was very interested in the picture.... we like to pretend she understands and we tell her about her new baby sister or brother all the time.  We're pretty convinced she's going to be a great big sister.  And please excuse my messy table.  I was tired that day.

Some of the fun things friends have given us to keep reminding us of what's to come.  I prefer that over the conversations about how painful labor is going to be.

And a horrible picture of me.  The other pictures of me I looked even worse.  (Next time I'll have to make Husband take the picture and make sure I do my hair and don't look like crap.  It took me 15 minutes and I'm still unhappy with this photo.)

So as you can see, friends, my ordinary isn't ordinary.  I'm still processing the whole "I'm going to be a mom" thing.  I am excited, fearful, estatic, worried..... and a plethora of other emotions.  We're thinking of names, of how we need to change things, of how we need to "get our acts together" before baby comes, of what we need to do with our house to be baby ready, etc.... even though we have six months left. 

What was ordinary before still is, but isn't.  We do our lives each day, I teach, do StuCo, spend time with family.  But I think and act on all these other things, too.

It's been crazy waiting to tell the world and people outside of our close family and friends circle, because it's all we've thought about since the first week in August..... but now it's out to the world.....  So I'm counting on all your help to share your wise Mommy Wisdom with me over the next months and years.

Anyway, my five minutes are long up. 

Here's to my ordinary, whatever it actually is.

Back in the Saddle

(Editor's Note: I wrote this post on Monday, but because I needed to wait to for my husband to bring the camera home, am not posting it until Tuesday.  Any references to "today" are from Monday.)

Do you know that I have ridden horses for nearly 15 years, and I have never actually fallen off of one? 

Granted, the consistency of me riding in the last three years has been.... well, let's be honest.   I haven't ridden more than twice in the last three years.  (That's not totally my fault.  The first year, I didn't have a car, so I couldn't get out to where my horse was being boarded.  The second year we'd moved him to my parent's house and built him a loafing shed, and I did ride him a couple of times, but then he got an abscess in his hoof and had about half of the hoof removed.  (That's like taking off your fingernail, not your finger, just in case you didn't know.)  So he had to heal from that.  And then last year, right around this time of year, he impaled himself on a t-post and nearly died.  That recovery was quite long; hence, no riding for me.

I completely digress from my original point.  The expression back in the saddle clearly comes from the idea that if you've fallen off a horse, you have to get back on again and push through whatever fear is keeping you from riding again.  I've never fallen from a horse, so I don't I can fully understand the true intent of those words, although having watched my sister essentially stop riding due to an incredibly scary situation, I sort of get it.

That story will have to come at a later point, because this post isn't supposed to be about horses or riding or anything equestrian related.  I just titled the post Back in the Saddle and then was off on a tangent, and decided to write it.  Well, journeying with me as I process never promised to be logical.

Anyway, I feel like I have the opporutnity to be back in the saddle of a lot of things in my life.  School is winding down and, while I have a busy summer ahead, the pace is different.

I have just two classes of finals left to grade - one on paper, one online.  I'm going to do them tomorrow.  Then I have to spend some time getting my classroom ready for next year, and I'm done.  Officially our last day is Wednesday, but I may go in for a few hours on Thursday and/or Friday just to make sure I'm organized.  It's been a long year.  I'm excited for a change of pace.

On Saturday I went to the Home Depot at 8:15 in the morning to avoid the rush and bought a lot of flowers and plants.  I suspect I normally spend $100 on flowers to pot to make the front of my townhouse look pretty (and to make me happy) - but this weekend I went way overboard, due to the fact that I was on a mission - I wanted to plant some perennials in our front yard, build a mini garden bed retaining wall, and add some mulch.  I picked up the pesky rocks that were half filling the space and through them into my window wells, which needed something in them anyway.  (I'd already spent hours on a previous weekend cleaning and sorting some rocks and filling this awkward weird gap between my neighbor's sidewalk and mine.) 

I potted 15 medium and small pots of flowers and 3 large ones.  I dug up the soil in the yard and mixed it in with some garden soil.  I planted 7 new plants in the yard.  The only thing Husband helped with was the brick (which, as you can see, we need a couple more layers of to make a retaining wall) and the mulch.

I just love it... it's like a whole new yard.  And never mind the dead grass, because the flowers and plants make it pretty anyway.  (Although we are going to re-sod the dead parts and put in some new sod up to the retaining wall.)

Oh, and doing that, I forgot about sunscreen (rookie mistake).  This is me two days later, although I couldn't really get a great picture.  You'll have to imagine what it looked like originally.  In my defense, it's my first real time outside this year,  so I had no base coat at all.

And I've cleaned my main floor and the master bedroom thoroughly, and tidied up the basement areas and bedroom (my mother-in-law was here for the weekend).  I'd bought a white quilt and some throw pillows for our bedroom to give our room a fresh, summery feel, but I didn't allow myself to set up the bed until our room was clean clean clean.

So I'm back in the saddle of living in a liveable, even peaceful, pretty house.

This morning I got up and went for a run.  I haven't been on a run in a really long time.  It's been at least a month since I went to the gym, and probably two or three months (or four?) since I ran outside.  It was super windy, but the sun was shining warmly and I pushed myself, but not too much.  It felt delicious.   I'm going grocery shopping today, and we've cooked at home the last two nights. 

Yes, I'm back in the saddle of being healthy, and feeling good about myself.

After I got back from my run, I poured myself a cup of coffee (which had been brewing while I ran), added a dash of cream, sugar, and cinnamon, and took the dog to sit on the front steps, which, in the morning, are bathed in sunshine.  There, amidst all my beautiful flowers, I drank my coffee, basking in the tranquility, and listening to this song, which always gets my heart tuned into the right place.  Always.  It's been a while since I've heard it, so I played it twice.  Starting at about 4:45 is the best, in case you don't want to listen to the whole thing.  And I just felt calm, and inspired, and ready to keep going. 



I went to church yesterday with  my mom and MIL at a different church than my own, and the pastor asked this question: Are you in the same place spiritually as you were last month?  Six months ago?  Last year?  Well, I know that if I were to answer that honestly, I haven't grown at all in the last month or so.  Remember there was that season of incredible revelation and growth earlier this year?  I started to live on the leftovers of that, much like a car running on the fumes of gasoline that used to fill the tank.  I caught myself, jumped back in, but, as any teacher knows, barely survived the end of the year, and stopped reading, journaling, and reflecting.  But that season is finished.

And I'm back in the saddle of spending time with the One.

I hope that if I ever do fall off of a horse, I will not hestitate to jump right back on, because if life teaches me anything, it is that it is always better when you push through, allow the One to help you conquer your fear, and keep going.  Put that foot in the stirrup, swing your leg over, and keep riding.

Re-set, and press On.

Little Ways #1: A Good Cup of Coffee

My quest into adulthood (now that I'm nearly 29, ha!) and living, as my friend Dawn calls it, the Good Life, includes searching for Little Ways to make every day feel like a day off. 

(Haven't read about this yet?  Go here to read why my blog is called Like a Day Off and here to read about the Little Ways series.)

If you've read me for a while now, you know that I love coffee.  A good cup of coffee is referenced several times in many posts, not even including the couple of posts completed dedicated to the Gingerbread Latte, my favorite around the holidays. 

Seriously, though, I love coffee.  I don't need the caffeinne; I just love the flavor, the aroma, the goodness and happiness I feel when I sip it.

But a GOOD cup of coffee, one to make that moment feel like a day off, requires a couple of things, in my book:

1. It's temperature needs to be the opposite of the weather.  If it's cold or even a little chilly, the coffee needs to be hot, warming you from the inside out.  If it's warm or hot outdoors, then a refreshing iced coffee is in order.  A GOOD cup of coffee is exactly what you need to feel warmer or cooler, as the case may be.

2. It needs to be enjoyed. A cup of coffee while getting for work is okay, and a cup while teaching is still lovely, but a GOOD cup of coffee needs to be savored.  To be enjoyed while reading a book or having conversation with a friend or even, sometimes, just sitting and simply being.

A GOOD cup of coffee can make any moment feel like a day off.  Too often we rush through our morning coffee or drink it while working, not even savoring the deliciousness it provides.  This morning I had the chance to sit with my sister for about 15 minutes at Starbucks and chat and really enjoy a cup of coffee, even though it was short.  And truthfully, it was wonderful.

What is your favorite coffee or beverage ritual?  How do you use it to create a moment of space in your day?

Here's to the Little Ways!

Choices

Today I choose to ignore the busyness I have going on.  I choose to ignore the four weeks of chaos that stand before me.  I choose to not post about everything going on in my busy world.  I choose to be light-hearted today.

I choose to proactively do the things I need to do today.  I choose to do them with a smile on my face.

I choose to listen to my music loudly in my classroom during my planning period, because it makes me happy.  I choose to turn off the flourescents and just let the light stream in from the windows.

Today I choose to ponder. I'll ponder Jesus.  I'll ponder life.

I choose not to dwell on things that make me or bog me down.  I choose to live right now.  I choose to do the things for which I am responsible, but I choose to do so with joy and without thinking about what I am supposed to do next.

I choose to say nothing negative today, about myself, or anyone, or anything else.

I choose freedom, today.

Here's a song that came up on Pandora and made me happy.  No, it's not Jesus-y.  Nope, it's not really inspirational.  No, the message isn't the best message ever.  It just makes me happy.  I liked the original version, and I like this version, too.  I smiled and turned it up a little.  The math class next door surely would like to hear it, too.



Happy Friday!

Blog Hopping with my favorite friends for some Coffee Company. Enjoy!

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Coffee Company and More

Starbucks Caramel Macciato in hand (it's what I drink in the off-season of the Gingerbread Latte when I still have gift-card money left over from Christmas), I am ready to blog.  I have a lot of stuff in my head and in my heart, which means inevitably this will be a post full of randoms.  Ready?

This week has been full. 

We're back in the swing of things at school, and I'm really trying hard to stay on top of things (and already falling behind), but also to make sure that the way I'm teaching is better. 

I haven't been sleeping that well, mostly to the fact that Husband has been working nights and crawls into bed at about 4, right before I get up at about 5:15, and the weird dreams I've been having.  Last night's was an odd mixture of mostly good, kind of weird, and a little unsettling, but.... I re-wrote the ending to make it all good in my head.

Last week I heard that a former youth group kid of ours, Brad, who had a muscular condition that affected his respiratory system and more, was in the hospital and things weren't looking great.  Wednesday we heard first that they'd removed the breathing tubes and, shortly thereafter, Brad went to be with his Jesus.  Both my good friend Dawn and I posted for him, if you'd care to read.  The service will be Tuesday, and I expect it to be just as much a celebration as anything, since Brad is finally healed.

Husband goes away with the youth group today for the long weekend for our annual retreat.  (A few years ago this retreat was one where we had some of our favorite memories with Brad.)  It's the first time in seven years I won't be going, but because I have offiically stepped down as a leader at this point (you know, I was trying to create some balance in my life), it makes sense that I am not included.  I cried, and let's just be honest: I'm going to have to pray that God will remove my feelings of jealousy.  A few weeks ago I was on the phone with my friend Brooke telling her about how disappointed I was and how, to top it all off, it meant that I would be home alone for three nights and almost four days.  Joking, I suggested she drive up from Texas for a visit.

A few days later she called to say she was coming!  I expect to get a text sometime this morning to say she's on the road and then, this evening, she'll be here!  Brooke is my best friend from college.  We haven't lived in the same place for 6 and half years, but she's just one of those friends, you know?  It's going to be great, and I think I probably won't remember that I'm missing the retreat.

I was just reading Rachel Anne's Small Thing about Starting Over.  I love how each morning it can be as if God gives us a Restart button.  What happened yesterday is gone, and today is a new day.  I'm a fairly stubborn person, so sometimes I cling to what is and insist that I can make it work..... but to restart- well, sometimes something even better can come from that.  I've seen it many times, yet I still cling.  Oh, sinful stubborness.

Don't worry, I'm nearing the end of my ramblings.  Husband came home the other night with a belated Christmas present for me - a Nikon Coolpix camera.  I think I've mentioned in about 100 comments (okay, slight exaggeration) on other's blogs in recent weeks that I want to get a pocket-sized camera I can have with me at all times, because I'm always missing out on pictures I see and want to take.  Wish granted!

I haven't had the chance to take many great pictures, but last night Husband and I went to my new favorite "fast-food" restaurant, Garbanzos, to have a little mini date night before he left for the weekend.  They're not great photos, and I look awful,  but, in the interest of sharing, here you go.

an unassuming building filled with scrumptiousness inside.

oops, forgot to unzoom from earlier, and we were walking.

Hmm.  Not my best picture ever, but I was excited!

Husband going in for his first bite - he wasn't sure what he was going to think, but he ended up liking it!

 My pita and falafal. 

Turns out my camera has a food setting, but I didn't discover that until after I had eaten every last bite.

 A quick shot of us by the Garbanzo beans as we walked out.

Just for fun, Ginny when we got home.

Happy Friday from a Rambling Beth.  

Best Coffee Ever - And Company

You would have laughed at me if you'd just seen me, friends. 

I have spent the last 15 minutes trying to get a good photo of myself holding a cup of coffee, using my cell phone camera, which for some reason, has a fuzzy film on it I couldn't get off.  I then made it worse by scratching at it, although for a minute it did make it a little less fuzzy.... but that moment was short lived. 

Upon realizing that 15 minutes had gone by and I had no good pictures to show you, I decided it was so funny I'd just upload the ridiculous and fuzzy pictures I took.  And then I just realized that, because I had to get a new phone last week (my old one broke), I don't have this one set up to send my pictures to my email, and I don't have the converter that makes your small memory card fit into the memory card slot on the computer.

Sigh.

All I wanted to do was show you my favorite cup of coffee ever.  Wait, this is a blog, right?  And, while I know that a picture is worth a 1000 words, I should be able to paint you a word picture.....we'll, I'll try.


It's the season I wait for all year long.  It brings me joy, puts me in a good mood no matter what else is going on in my life, and, I think, is God's personal gift to me, Beth.  I love the decorations each year, the sweet and spicy aromas that waft my way, the warm, fuzzy feeling I get.

I am, of course, talking about the Gingerbread Latte season at Starbucks.  You knew that, right?

I kid you not.  With a Gingerbread Latte in hand, nothing can stop me.  I'm unflappable, un-phaseable, un-depressable.  I hoard (not an exaggeration) any gift cards given to me the rest of the year and never spend any money at Starbucks until sometime in November, when the signs switch from orange and brown with the words Pumpkin Spice to elaborate drawings of coffee cups topped with whipped cream and the words Holiday Favorites are written in golds and reds.  I then go through those gift cards at what might seem an excessive rate, but really isn't, as I know I want to make them last until the new year.

A student brought me my first Gingerbread Latte of the season the week they came out, not long ago.  In the middle of a meeting, I glanced up and saw out the window that she was standing there, latte in hand.  No words of explanation needed, I quickly and quietly left the room, thanked her profusely, and almost reverantly sipped my first delicious sip.  Contentment.

I've postponed writing about it, because I've wanted to find the perfect day and have the perfect photo to accompany my post, but today I decided that you, my friends, need to know that I am happy.

This morning I went in for a Venti (a big splurge - but it's the last day of school before Thanksgiving Break), and the card scanner would not read my giftcard.  She tried three times.  I offered to let her try another card. Instead, like an angel or a Christmas elf, she replied, "Oh, it's fine. Just enjoy."

The barista then read the label on the cup wrong and made a Creme Brulee Latte (cbl) instead of a Gingerbread Latte (gbl).  Taking an extra minute, she made me a new latte and put it in the cutest Christmas cup ever.

Whether it's the fact that it's Friday and it's the day before a break, the fact that the coffee was free, or the fact that she made it extra special, this Gingerbread Latte is without a doubt ...

... the best cup of coffee ever.

May your day be merry!

Disclaimer: I know I'm a little out of control.  Like me anyway.  I do think God gave me the Gingerbread Latte as a gift, but the season I love more than the GBL is, truly, Christmas.  More to come on that after Thanksgiving.

A Day Off

Good morning!  Can you just wait a moment while I run to the kitchen and get my cup of coffee?  I turned the pot on about 20 minutes ago, but haven't gotten up yet to actually enjoy my morning beverage.  I'll be right back.

That's better.  I've got my favorite brew in hand - a homemade cup of Einstein's Hazelnut Coffee..... mmmmm delicious.  I've been drinking cup after cup of tea recentely (I have a nasty cough), but I just needed a cup of goodness this morning.

Today I have a day off. 

It's not like a day off, it is a day off. 

We worked parent-teacher conferences the last two nights, and since they can't pay us for it, we get the next day off.  Hence, no going to school for me today.  However, I apparently don't know how to take a day off.  I made my to-do list for this weekend, at least half of which I hope to accomplish today.... it includes grading all the work for my online class I got behind on when I was grading all the work for my IRL classes before PT conferences (I don't have any more abbreviations, or I'd throw them in just to be funny), grading workbooks, planning the next week of online curriculum and getting it uploaded, doing laundry and putting away the piles that are still out in the basket from last week, cleaning the living room, kitchen, dining room, birdcage, master bathroom, master bedroom, guestroom (and, in all that cleaning, hoping to freshen up the house from the "dog" smell we have now), walk the dog and walk the horse. 

But I'm also drinking my favorite coffee, wearing my favorite sweatpants.  And later, I'm going to spend the evening with some of my favorite friends at small group.  And walking the dog and horse (not simultaneously, of course), is fun for me and fun for them.  And I hope to see my parents and sister sometime this weekend.

And having the chance to stay home instead of go into work truly makes it, regardless of what I am doing here, a day off.

Love it.

Here are a few pictures I'm dying to show you!

A double rainbow (the top is very faint) we saw on our drive to Wyoming to see Husband's family.

The first leg of Grandma Harriett's retirement / birthday party - she's the one dressed like a prisoner.  The theme of the party was her parole, as she retired from working at the Wyoming State Penn.  It was quite a fun night - after this stage, the party continued with close family friends and their kids and kids' friends (all now in their 20s) talking, laughing, singing (oh yes, singing), and more.



Here's a picture of our little snuggle bug - she seriously loves to cuddle, although she still wants to play a lot of the time!  We decided to name her Ginger, but call her Ginny for short.

And I'm in love with fall (although it's a little warm again today) and wrote a post about it here, but wanted to show you my mantle.  I love it.  It's a little busy, I know, but it's beautiful to me.

Happy Friday!  May your day be like a day off, too.

Picture This: Coffee Company 9/24

Picture this:

Who: 20 - 30 high school boys and girls, myself, and Husband

When: Tonight and Tomorrow

What: sleeping over in the school, playing Sardines, having a dance party, cooking breakfast, and working on pre-Homecoming decoration stuff. 

That's right, StuCo is having a lock-in tonight.  We'll get together here tonight, play a bunch of fun games, be silly, and eventually, go to sleep (boys in one room with Husband, girls in the other with me).  Tomorrow morning we'll get up and cook breakfast: pancakes, bacon, cereal, and fruit are on the menu.  Once we've cleaned up, we'll head to the cafeteria where we'll start painting, building, and doing other preparation tasks for next week's Homecoming Dance.  The more we do tomorrow, the less we do next Saturday, when we're here again (minus the sleepover).

Wish us luck!  (Especially Husband - this is his first lock -in. :)

And, for those of you who had trouble "picturing this," I will try to get some real pictures today and tomorrow and share them with you all next week!

Coffee Company 9/17

Hi Company Girls!

I was thinking of writing a new post for today, but I decided I really just wanted you to read what I wrote yesterday.  Last time I wrote about all the plates I have spinning, and was relatively stressed.  The last few weeks I haven't had time to blog, but came to a realization yesterday, and want you to hear about it.

"I haven't much time to blog these days, it seems, even though blogging is quite therapeutic and, often, gives me perspective. It opens my eyes to my life, to the world, to God. It even often brings me clarity and furthers my relationship with the One.


Yet, just like my paper-and-pen journal, my blog-well dries up in times of busyness or avoidance or stress....."

Click here for the rest of the story, and to see a gorgeous photo that Husband took.

Coffee Company 8/27: Spinning Plates

Catching up today with my Company Girls.  I've missed you!

I know that if you've read me at all (or if you know me IRL), you know I'm always busy.  In fact, I don't even really like to say the word busy, because it's kind of lost it's meaning.  Saying I'm super busy right now is almost meaningless.  But regardless, I'm...

...Pretty sure this is me.

Okay, not really, but it's a pretty good analogy of how I'm feeling.

The new school year has begun (we're at the end of the 2nd week), and while I have not yet dropped a plate (that I know of), they are spinning fast and I'm working hard to keep them in the air.

What, you ask, are my plates, this year?

1. My three in-person Spanish 2 classes and my one in-person Spanish 3 class.  Planning, grading, interacting.

2. My one online Spanish 2 class. Planning, creating content from scratch each week (audio, video, assignments, lessons, etc.).  Grading, interacting.  Yes, we do have to have interactions even with online school - I have a "Class Live" session each week where we all simultaneously log in and video, audio, or text chat and I explain things through a "whiteboard" we can all see.  And we email A LOT.

3. My one don't-get-paid-for-it-but-still-have-to-plan-it-and-grade-it Independent Study Spanish 4 class with three students.  Never have taught Spanish 4, so I'm creating that curriculum as I go, and they come in during my planning period every other day for a real class.

4. My Student Council class, which involves planning of leadership lessons and activities, getting ready for our big leadership retreat next weekend, and, of course, coordinating and attending the events we put on at the school and help at.  I used to have a co-sponsor, and we did all the work together, but this year I'm on my own.  It's going great, by the way - I love the kids - but it is a lot to think of.

5. Youth group sponsor.  I had taken a year and a half off to do grad school, but got sucked back in when our youth pastor starting doing small groups, which I really resonate with.  That means Sunday nights, when I would love to just rest and gear up for the next week, I go to church and interact.

6. Club sponsor for a group called Friends of Rachel, planning and attending meetings.

7. Needing to keep my house in some sort of order.

8. Would love to find time to be healthy, exercise, cook.  (see my post at http://www.theskinnybs.blogspot.com/) to know read my failure at this.

9. Need to spend time with my family, as my parents are dealing with some really hard stuff.

10. Still taking care of my horse after he had impaled himself in May - it's going better, but he needs to be walked at least every other day.

11. Being in a small group where we're reading Francis Chan's "The Forgotten God" and doing life together.

12. Discipling two high school students from church, separately.

13. Spending time with the students I've had in previous years who hang out in my room at lunch and during all breaks because they need me and love me.

14. Oh, and it might be nice to see my husband once in a while.

I'm hoping that once I get into a better routine, I will find a little balance..... but for now....

Here's to not dropping any plates!

What is on your plate in this season? 

Coffee Company: July 23rd

Linking up with the Coffee Company girls today - haven't had too much of a chance to check in, but excited to do so today.


Teachers get summers off, right?  We're supposedly footloose and fancy-free for three months, with not a thing to do on our to-do list. 

(insert dry laugh here.)  Right.

Only recently have I been able to find time to blog again, but if you want to read about what I did in the months of June and the beginning of July, check this post out.

This last week I have, though, been a little more "free."  I have had the opportunity to do a little organizing, get back on the get-fit wagon, work on some much needed stuff for Student Council this year, and even spend some much needed time with Husband. 

This morning, although I have quite a bit of preparation to do for next week (I'll tell you about that in just a minute), I decided to have one of those mornings.

You know the kind I mean.

I am in my comfy new Aeropostale sweats (because hallelujah it got cool enough in my house overnight to actually wear pants, instead of shorts), drinking an incredibly tasty cup of coffee that Husband brewed before he headed off to work this morning, watching a television show or two, and, of course, blogging.

By the way, this mug is th best mug ever.  No, it's not cute, but it's seriously the best mug I have ever had a cup of coffee in, and if you know me at all, you know that is a lot of mugs. 

The rest of the day and weekend?  Well, I need to run into school to get some supplies and then to a few stores to do a bit of shopping.  Tomorrow I'll go to Husband's softball games, to a friends big 4-0 bash, to celebrate my grandpa's 95th birthday, and then home to pack for a week trip to our state Student Council camp.

There I will be the counselor for 27 super-spirited StuCo kids (of the 800 attending), all from different schools around the state.  It will be five days of early to rise, late to bed, talking, laughing, crying, playing, leadership activities, non-stop interaction, no alone time, fall into bed asleep until the alarm goes off, beautiful, wonderful growth, and I am looking forward to it.

Check back in with you next week, I hope!