When the kids get it, you know it's serious

Yesterday, I did an activity I do once a week with each class I teach.

We call it "Current Event," and it's by far the most simple, and yet, most effective, teaching tool I've ever used.

All the kids have to do is watch or read the news, remember a story or incident that struck their fancy, and briefly explain it to the class.

Every student who brings a different current event to the table earns a few measly extra-credit points, which, truth be told, doesn't really affect their grade all that much. (But shhh! Don't tell them that!)

Now, more often than not, I get a lot of current events like these:

"Turns out, Mrs. C, that Tiger Woods has another mistress."

Or...

"My neighbor knows a girl who has a cousin who's foot got shot in a random liquor store robbery, and my mom said they were on the evening news last night."

But sometimes, just sometimes, they bring up something important.

And yesterday, thank the Lord, yesterday was one of those days.

After a couple sordid tales of drunk driving and celebrity gossip, one student raised his hand:

Me: Yes, T?
Student T: There was a big old earthquake in Haiti, and a lot - I mean, A LOT - of people died.
Me: Good, T, very good. And you're right. This did happen. What else did everyone hear about this?
Student P: It was a Level 7 earthquake, and I don't know if you all know this, but that is really, really, really big. Like bigger than the ones they have in California. Like so big that land was ripped apart and tons of houses were falling down. It's just really, really big. And really, really bad.
Me: Exactly, P. It was very catastrophic because it was such an enormous natural disaster. Can anyone tell me why this is so especially devastating for Haiti?
Student M: Well, you know what, me and my family are Dominican, and the Dominican Republic has a lot of problems itself. Like, our family that is still there are really poor. But you know what? Our family know some Haitians that now live in the D.R. with them, and they were even worse off in Haiti. Like, when people are murdered, no one gets arrested, and no one cares that somebody died. And sometimes, houses just fall down because no one is taking care of them, and no one - no one! - does anything about it! The house just falls and stays like that.
Me: Very good, M, and very, very true. I have heard stories like that, too.
Student B: But Mrs. C, people there also don't have food and clean water and doctors. They are really poor there. I think it's because the government doesn't have any money to help the people that live there. They lack, they lack, infer - what's the word? - infer? Inferstructure?
Me: Infrastructure, B, and yes, that's very true. Without the proper governmental infrastructure, they can't take care of their people's basic needs like housing, safety, and food, especially in the face of a natural disaster.
Student C: But question, Mrs.C, question. What happens now? If the country can't take care of its people normally, what are they going to do now that the earthquake hit?
Me: To be perfectly honest, guys, I don't entirely know. Americans and other countries' citizens will help with immediate rescue and care, but after that, I just don't know.

And just like that, my classroom fell silent (a rare miracle, let me tell you.)

The kids looked grave.

In fact, a few looked almost devastated.

In a rare, selfless teen moment, they got the significance and the severity of what had happened.

More importantly, they felt the significance and severity of what had happened to people that are not directly related to themselves.

And in that space, looking at my kids' faces, I finally realized the significance and severity of what had happened.

So while I thanked God for teach-able moments, I also prayed for help and solace for Haiti.

Because if the kids get it, I definitely have to get it. If it affects callous teenagers like that, who am I not to be swayed to prayer or donation by the thought of an earthquake hitting an impoverished country with no "inferstructure?"

So, as we settle into the weekend, I ask that you do what you can for Haiti, even if it's offering up a moment of silence at the dinner table or donating a dollar to the relief fund at your grocery store.

Because this is significant. This is serious. This is severe.

Even the kids get that.

***

P.S. For those of you looking to make financial donations, please head over to my friend Whimzie's blog. She has good recommendations where to put your money so that it gets right to those who need it: the Haitians we're all praying for. Thanks, Whimzie, for such sound advice and guidance!

P.P.S. Happy Birthday to my sweet little "nephew" Ethan! He turns 1 year old today! It's hard to believe that a year ago today, I watched you come into this world! And now you're 1! Such a blessing! One day, I hope you can read all that your momma and I have blogged about you and realize how much we all love you, precious boy!

***

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Happy Friday!

Step back; be blessed

If you're being kind, you'd call me "high-energy," abuzz with the doing of many tasks and willing to take on almost anything.

If you're being honest, you'd call me "anxious," "over-thought," and downright worried, with a huge inability to say "No!", thus leaving me stressed out and ulcerous in my mid-20s.

It's part of my personality I've had since I was birthed into this world, and a part of my personality I've loathed almost since.

I'll be honest with you all: I'm rarely at peace.

Quite simply, I'm never caught up. There's too much to do and not enough time in the day, week, month, year, decade...well, you get the picture.

And being in that space, though it's often self-inflicted, is not a happy place for me to be.

I get a little bitter; I get a little angry. I get snappy and stressed and downright peeved at the world, at the life I was given.

I yell at my husband; I yell at God.

And then I cower away, with my books, or my blog, or whatever it is that lets me be silent and think about anything else but the papers I have to grade, and the phone calls I have to return, and the 18,000 obligations I should have said "No!" to, but instead I smiled and nodded and acquiesced.

It's ugly.

I don't like it.

It makes me whiny; it makes me complain.

When, in reality, I've really got nothing to complain about.

I've got a roof over my head, a husband who loves me, friends who I cherish, food on my plate, the ability to walk and talk and shop and hug and exercise and read and do all the things I hold dear.

Luckily for me, God likes me to meet me right where I'm at - at that place where my whining meets necessary gratitude.

I found myself unexpectedly alone last Saturday afternoon - a rarity.

I had cleaned the house and done some laundry. I'd even done a mini-organization of my closet. I graded a stack of papers and popped open a magazine to read. I had the television on mute, watching my alma mater play a really good game of football. I had a mug of tea in my hand, where I had the perfect steep with the perfect amount of honey infused throughout it. I was bundled in fleece pants and a worn-in sweatshirt, but the windows were open blowing our first truly cold winds throughout the house.

And in that moment, where I'd managed to stop thinking about the 72 hours worth of grading and shopping and cleaning and exercising and phone-calling and e-mailing I had left to do, I felt such a God-given warmth.

Such a peace.

I was moved to tears.

For I am undeniably blessed. Truly happy.

No matter what there is left, what else has to be done in my world, it doesn't change the fact that I was gifted a life that is filled with love, filled with arms that hold me and care for me whether or not I've graded every paper or folded every piece of laundry in my life.

My friend's arms; my family's arms; God's arms.

So here's to a moment with a good breeze; a good cup of tea; a good pair of fleece pants.

Here's to stepping back this weekend and capturing that moment where you feel loved.

Here's to feeling blessed.

***

Thank you, Lucy Marie, for your inspiration on this post.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! "See" you Monday!

For this I give thanks...

...For my husband, whom I laugh with, cry with, fight with and fight for. The man who loves me ceaselessly, even when I fall asleep wearing his XXL sweatshirt, lying the wrong way across the bed, on top of the comforter.

...For my family, who loves me and supports my decisions devotedly. My blood relatives who have invested more care and home-cooked food into me than most receive in a lifetime.

...For my friends, who might as well be family, with all the love they've poured on me in times of need, trial and celebration. These pieces of my heart who pop me a bowl of popcorn and proceed to bring out what is good in me even when there is very little of it left.

...For my blog community, who have shown me that faces, voices and bodies aren't required to make up a sisterhood. You all who give so generously of your unconditional hope, prayer and hilarious comments, without reservation.

...For my job, and for that of my husband, which have helped put food on my table, clothes on back, and a roof over my head. Luxuries which many Americans dream of and indebt themselves to receive.

...for "my kids," who have taught me that children need even more love when they are no longer small and cute. Teenagers who often make me want to jump out a window bring me such joy when I least expect it, simply by allowing me into their world and letting me watch them learn reading, writing, relating, and the impressive art of Super-Speed Texting.

...for my home, which is a respite in an otherwise dark world. The house which holds my new family, my dogs, my friends, my community, my sanity.

...for my body, which gives me the ability to move with abandon, to work and relieve stress through exercise, to experience little pain, and to bend over and pick up the countless amount of socks and undershirts my husband leaves scattered about the house. This body, the only one God gave me, and the one which I pray I will live a long, healthy life in.

...for the gift of life, my life, which is filled with blessings bestowed upon me by God and His community here on Earth. A life which I too often take for granted, but, at least for today, I'm trying to be thankful for.

To see the gifts and not the shortcomings; to see the blessings and not the burdens.

...for all this, I give thanks.

***

After work tonight, the hubs and I are heading out of town to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family.

Let me tell you, I am downright thankful for this break in the normal schedule. I'm very excited to see my family and to log a couple nights sleep, where I hope to get more than five hours.

So, I wanted to take this chance to wish you all a happy, happy Thanksgiving. I am so very thankful to have all of you in my life this holiday season. You all are such a blessing!

Until next week, have a wonderful Turkey Day everyone! See you next Monday!

Not Me! Monday: The "Mutually Beneficial Birthday Gift" Edition

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. Head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have NOT been doing this week.

***

On Saturday morning, Fed-Ex did NOT arrive bright and early, delivering three covert little packages for my birthday, which is NOT in a couple of weeks.

Within 15 minutes, I had NOT whined, begged and pleaded my way into my husband's good graces, so much so that he did NOT allow me to open said packages, but only after NOT warning me, "If you open them now, they aren't going to be wrapped, ya know."

No duh.

So, I did NOT tear into them, revealing a bottle of perfume, body lotion, and....

The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook!

Image courtesy of Books a Million

I did NOT then shriek and exclaim to my husband, "How did you KNOW? Seriously, how did you KNOW I wanted this? I haven't told anyone!"

He did NOT hem and haw for a while, going on about the fact that the Pioneer Woman is NOT a blogger, and that he did NOT know how I loved blogging and all, and that his amazing deductive reasoning skills did NOT tell him that this would be the perfect gift for me.

I was NOT impressed.

Until, finally, while I was dancing around the living room with my new treasure, his guilt did NOT get the best of him, causing him to mutter - under his breath, of course - the real secret behind his "amazing deductive reasoning skills."

"Actually, I saw something in there that I really want you to make for me," he said. "So I bought it. And that's why I let you open it now."

Oh, brother.

And just like that, the truth did NOT come out.

He and his friends, over Saturday's college football games, did NOT actually page through the book themselves, ooh-ing and aah-ing over stuff they wanted to eat.

Amid cheers for touchdowns and screams for fumbles, they did NOT exclaim, "Dude, look! Bacon-wrapped jalapenos stuffed with cheese! Hello! They have to make these for us! We need these!" and "Chicken-fried steak! Seriously, she has chicken-fried steak in here! I gotta have some of this! It looks amazing!"

The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook, apparently, has NOT joined the likes of flat-screen TVs, power drills, ShotVacs, and nail guns, purchased by husbands around the world, under the guise of gifts "for their wives" for the holidays.

Except now, we do NOT know who the book is really for: Hungry men everywhere who do NOT want to give their wives an excuse to try out a recipe for real, rancher-style fried chicken.

Still, I was NOT still surprised and thankful for my gift.

Because, hey, at least it wasn't a power drill.

***

If you have a free moment, could you offer up a pray for us today? I hate to be so vague and melodramatic in my prayer request, but it's about something I'm just not ready to blog about yet.

I hope I will be able to soon.

Until then, I appreciate any prayers you can spare for us.

Thank you for your blessing.

Have a wonderful (Not Me!) Monday!

If you can't say anything nice...

I don't even want to say it.

I'm just going to sound like even more of a Whiny-Pants Drama Queen after last week and this weekend.

So I will give it one sentence and than be done with it:

I had an incredibly stressful day at school yesterday, like Whoa-What-I-Am-Doing-Why-Am-I-Here-How-Did-I-Get-This-Job-Stressful Day, and then proceeded to throw my back out, causing a pain I can only describe with the phrase "Sheer Agony," which then caused me to hurt so good, er, I mean bad, that I became nauseous from the pain and vomited again, which caused the back pain to escalate to a pain I can only describe with the phrase "Sheer Agony: The Meaner, Eviler Sequel." (Hey, I didn't say it was going to be a short sentence, did I?)

Apparently, it's just not my week.

So, I'm taking matters into my own hands and channeling my inner Bambi.

If I can't say anything nice, I'm not saying nothin' at all.

And since it's a known fact that I'm actually incapable of saying nothin' at all, I will just have to say something nice (and hope and pray that it comes back to me in the form of a wonderful rest of the week. Please, Lord. I'm begging you.)

So what's nicer than a few blog awards, right, girls? Especially for such wonderful friends who have had to listen to me complain for almost seven days straight and still love me and support me through it all. (Dear friends, you all are the best! The absolute best!)

So, Maestro? Drum roll, please...

***

The oh-so-wonderful One Heart, Two Hands gave me the Your Blog is Fabulous Award!

Thank you, dear friend! You are so kind!

This award dictates that I must list five of my current obsessions, and then pass it along to five more fabulous bloggers.

So, what I'm digging right now...

1. My husbands' current work schedule.
Sure, he sleeps like the dead. But he's been home for dinner almost every night for the last month. This is huge, people, HUGE. He works in restaurant management and is often closing down restaurants till 1 a.m., leaving sad Wifey here alone with one huge bowl of popcorn and a cup of chicken broth as my secret-single-girl dinner.

I really hate eating alone. And I cook for him, because I'll be honest, it's not worth it to me just to cook for one. So with Patrick working days and having nights off, I can drop the secret-single-girl dinners and the lonely meals with only the T.V. for company. Plus, I have an even better excuse to put off grading papers while I eat.

2. Old Navy
Is it just me, or do they basically put everything on sale? Seriously, my entire wardrobe is taking a startling shift toward Gap's lower-end, standalone sister store. And I'm living in it and loving it.

Because if I need a sweater, they're on sale at Old Navy. A cute scarf? Check out ON because they're buy one, get one free. Perhaps you fancy a crimson, fall-inspired umbrella? Hit up the Nave! They're 50 percent off! (Also, they've finally created acceptable, quick-dry workout clothes. Thank you, Lord!)

3. Fabric softener
OK, here's the thing: I fought using this stuff for a variety of reasons. I mean, it's a synthetic chemical that's got unhealthy, non-biodegradable properties and could very well be leaching pre-cancerous catalysts into our open pores as we walk about in our freshly laundered wardrobes.

And, also, my mother never used it.

Because after all...it's a synthetic chemical that's got unhealthy, non-biodegradable properties and could very well be leaching pre-cancerous catalysts into our open pours as we walk about in our freshly laundered wardrobes. (We are such hippies, Ma.)

And yet, despite all this, my husband likes to throw caution to the wind. Apparently, he defies pre-cancerous catalysts. So much so, in fact, that he went out and bought himself his own bottle of fabric softener, because he was sick of "non-soft jersey."

So I began to use it. And I am here to say that...

Synthetic chemicals, be d*mned! I love it! The smell! The softness! The luxury! (Mom, you have no idea what you are missing!)

4. Babies
OK, more specifically, How-I-Plan-To-Tell-Our-Families-When-We-Get-Pregnant-With-a-Baby scenarios. After last week, I can't stop thinking about the best way to announce to my parents, brothers and best friends that we're having a baby. And every time I let myself drift off into Dreamland, I return with a plan that's gotten more and more grandiose.

Let's just say the current draft incorporates blinking Christmas lights, Silly string, a life-size child's rocking horse made entirely out of cake, and a perfect replica of a Green Bay Packer's uniform, complete with a miniature pigskin, cut to the size of the average 3 month old (you know, for my Dad.)

5. The new Dove Beauty Campaign for Self-Esteem in Girls
Have you all seen these commercials? Seriously, I bawl like a baby every time. I think every single woman relates to these. And their message - of self-love and belief in inner beauty - is so necessary for young girls (and women.) Oh, I just love it. Love it. Love it. Love it.

It really makes me excited for the next generation of women, who I hope will have far less hang-ups about their bodies than I do. Wonder how their blogs will read...

Now, I have the pleasure to pass this fabulous award onto these five fabulous ladies...

Sam from The RubyTurtleHippie Times
Katie from Loves of Life
Lucy Marie at Lucy's Life
Jenn at Jeans Friday
Neha at Live rather than exist

***

Now, the amazing and wonderful Amber, over at Life As We Know It, who was (and is!) one of my first and dearest bloggy friends, gave me The Circle of Friends Award!
Thanks so much, you wonderful lady, you! You are the bestest!

I just have to pass this award on to some of my nearest and dearest bloggy friends! (Um, this has to the easiest task ever!)

So...I'd like to give this to...

Gwen at Confessions of a Control Freak
Ashley at Joshley and Charles
Taryn at Mr. Jones & Me
Lyr at Breaking Through
Michelle at There must be more to life than dishes and laundry...
Sare at The Hrebiceks
Gina at Namaste By Day
Lauren at Thread by Thread
And to anyone who hasn't gotten it yet, because I consider you all such amazing friends!

***

So that's it for me today. I hate to inconvenience anyone, but if you could send up a quick prayer for me and my back/stress, I'd really appreciate it. You all are so kind. Thank you!

Happy Thursday everyone!

Water to wine; coffee to peace of mind

We have one week of school left.

One week.

Regular coffee is no longer cutting it.

I've had to switch to lattes. With extra shots of espresso. And even then, I'm exhausted by the end of the day.

I was joking with another teacher that, during this last week of school, I feel like I'm working more as a fireman and less as a teacher, because its like we're putting out fires left and right.

The classrooms are filled with comments like:

"Wait, Mrs. C, what's this assignment? This one? This one due back in February? Can I still make that up? It's the only thing keeping me from passing your class."

Or...

"Um, wait, we have to know THAT for the final exam. But we learned that back in March. I didn't know I was supposed to remember it!"

And then, when the kids aren't at it, I'm getting parental phone calls like:

"But, Brittany, my son Johnny swore he didn't know it was due. In fact, I'm pretty sure he was sick that day. Oh, wait? He wasn't? You all keep track of that stuff, huh? Well, can he turn it in during the first week of summer? You know, after final exams are over? Oh, grades are due before summer starts? Fancy that!"

Not be outdone, the administrators like to chime in with:

"Yeah, remember when we said grades for seniors were due by Friday. Actually, they were due yesterday. Can we have them now? We know you've got a class full of freshmen, but we need those grades now. And while we're at it, our tech guys and our custodians are leaving two days early, so you're going to be on your own returning equipment and emptying our Dumpster. On the weekend."

Plus, I'm still handing out yearbooks, comforting crying sixth graders who swear up, down and around that Mom and Dad bought them a yearbook ("They said they did! I pinky promise, Mrs. C!") even though I've got no record of it, and figuring out scheduling conflicts for next year.

So, needless to say, I've been praying a lot.

More specifically, I've been praying a very specific prayer, over and over, on my drive to school:

"Dear Lord, I know you're tired of me asking this, but I'd really like it to be a peaceful, easygoing day. I just ask that no children get hurt, talk back or disrupt class. That everyone, or almost everyone, hands their projects in on time, and that other teachers and administrators don't have some pressing issue that I have to deal with ASAP."

Now, today, though, I added a much more specific line to my prayer:

"And God, if none of the things I want to happen do happen, I just ask that you give me a peace about the day and keep me from stressing out and panicking. I'm just so tired, I don't know if I can handle a racing heart today."

About five minutes later, I began to feel, dare I say, a nice, warm, happy feeling about me. I was oddly comforted; I was at peace. I was thrilled.

I kept driving, just beyond-the-moon happy that God had given me this peace.

Then I looked down at my latte, to which I'd added two extra shots of espresso that very morning.

The cup was almost completely empty.

And I was still feeling awake, warm, and happy.

And sure, who wouldn't feel awake, warm and happy after three shots of espresso?

But the thing is, I could almost hear God laughing kindly at me. I've never quite heard of coffee as being a conduit for God's little miracles, but I'm fairly certain it was for me today.

Which makes me think that every time I'm really serious about prayer (which I guess I should always be:), I'm going to do it with a latte in my hand.

And that no matter what, God takes care of me, even if it's only by providing me with a latte, with extra shots of espresso, when I need it most.

This post was inspired by Samantha. She had a similar story yesterday. Check it out!
__

Happy Friday everyone!

FYI: I'm going to do an 100th-post giveaway next week. Any suggestions on items/things you'd like to receive as giveaway winners? Please let me know. Thanks!

A lesson from a woman wiser than me

First off, let me thank all of you for your comfort and sweet words on my post yesterday. I am constantly amazed and blessed by all of you out there in my life, real or in the blogging world.

It's taken me until about now to recover my good spirits, and for that, I'm a bit ashamed.

I was originally going to delete yesterday's post, but I've decided not to. I still believe what I wrote, and I still stand for good morals, good values and manners.

However, I paged back through my quote journal (I'm totally the girl who keeps track of her favorite quotes in a book. Are you terribly surprised?) I found one of my favorites, a quote from Mother Teresa. It really helped me change my attitude and turn my frown upside down, so to speak.

Mother Teresa's good like that.

So here it is, in case anyone needs a pick-me-up. I'm now off to enjoy the beautiful, albeit rainy, Memorial Day weekend! I hope you all have a lovely one as well!

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway. - Mother Theresa

My sisters

OK, technically, I don't have any sisters.

However, I do have "sisters," women in my life who are so close to me that they might as well be related to me because they've lived and spoken into such important moments in my life that "friend" is simply not enough of a word to describe them.

They are literally huge pieces of my heart these women, and most of them live in different states (and different countries!) than I do. So these women -- who I picked up along the path of life through baptisms, high school swim team, childhood band practices, college dorms, and jobs -- I get to miss a whole lot.

The last time I got to see them all was my wedding, when I they all stood beside me as my bridesmaids, while others read beautiful readings during the ceremony. Over the 3-4 days they were with me during my wedding, I often started tearing up. I was just so overwhelmed by the love I felt, getting not only these girls, but my family, my God-mother, Patrick's family and friends, aunts, uncles, everyone we loved, in one place. It was so wonderful, and I hated hated hated that it had to end. I didn't want them all to leave, because I had no idea when I'd have another chance to have everyone we love in one place again.

Well, a month ago or so, I was talking to my God-mother, who said she had had a dream where all my bridesmaids and I were up at her house crafting away on a bunch of projects (My God-mother is the best crafter on the planet, so this isn't as far-fetched as it seems. If we all could get to her house in Tennessee, we'd definitely be crafting and loving it!) She said, when she woke up, that she felt a little sad that it was all over and that we weren't there. And I totally understood what she meant. I was pretty bummed it hadn't really happened actually, because that would be the best weekend ever!

So anyways, I was re-counting this dream to another friend of mine, who said she had similar feelings about her wedding party. She said she thought all women needed to have bridesmaids' reunions every so often, where you get all your bridesmaids together to hang out for a weekend or so. I totally agreed (although I realize that with the way everyone's schedules work, it would take an act of God to get us all in the same place again on the same day). But hey, I keep hoping that one day we can make it happen! Is this totally crazy of me? Do any of you all imagine having a wedding reunion of sorts (minus all the gowns and up-dos and rigamorale...although, it would give everyone another excuse to wear the dresses!)

I guess I'm just missing my "sisters" a lot today. They are such special women, as are many of you wonderful blogger friends out there have become! The bonds women form are so wonderful, and I have to say, I couldn't make it through a lot of life's rougher moments without you all, real-life and blog-life friends combined!

I thought I'd share a video I made last year as a gift to my bridesmaids. (It's a little lengthy, but I love a good slideshow, and hey, you'll get to see the many hairstyles I've sported, plus some sweet shots of me, the fam, and my friends, ages 5 to present.)

Click To Play

In closing, I leave you with a prayer my mom sent me the other day. Feel free to pass it along.

Dear God:
The girl reading this is beautiful, classy and strong, and she is very special to me.
Help her live her life to the fullest.
Please promote her and cause her to excel above her expectations.
Help her shine in the darkest places where it is impossible to love.
Protect her at all times, lift her up when she needs you the most, and
let her know when she walks with you, she will always be safe.
She is my friend!