Year 9 and counting. . .

So, as of Wednesday the 20th of August I am officially an "old" teacher. Honestly, who would have thought that I would ever make it to my 9th year of teaching?! (If you are reading this and you thought I would teach for 9 years I don't want to know). I mean, lets be honest, year one and two, even three and four weren't so bad. . . when I hit year 5 I knew I had to do something different, so I was a specialist for a year, then I went and did the administration thing for year six. Years seven and eight were back in the classroom, because I wanted to be back. Now, we are on year nine and I can't believe it! Nine is really close to ten (yes, I teach first grade math and I recognized that is an obvious statement).

Anyway, my plan didn't extend much past year one or two. Most teachers (at least those that I know) teach for a few years, get married, have babies, quit their jobs and stay home to take care of their kids (of course they keep their certification current if and when they decide to go back). So, that was my plan too. I even vowed that I would sign up to be the room mom, volunteer at the school carnival, carpool with other moms and faithfully attend back to school night, and every school program in addition to being super-mom and helping my kids with homework and teaching them to read before they got to school. So far, these options have not exactly been offered to me. Well, I am still at all of those functions, but mostly I am at them as the teacher, not as a loving parent.

Don't get me wrong, I love the kids that I get to teach each year, but someday, just someday don't you think I could have a few of my own?! This year I have a little girl in my class who is the daughter of a friend of mine from high school -- kind of crazy to think that I could by no stretch of the imagination have children old enough to be in school. This has been true for quite some time, but it is really sinking in this year.

So, there is that for my rantings and ravings of the evening. I was originally going to post pictures of my class and tell everyone about my first few days of school, but this is what you get instead -- un=edited, 100% me. And for those of you who need a picture or two of me on the first day of school. . . here it is. Yes, it is true -- I am this cute, and I raise other people's children not my own!

This probably isn't the best picture of me or the boring "back" of my classroom. I promise I will post more -- not of me, but of my class!

Coming Home

This is the most exciting post that I have ever written. Well, maybe not exciting for you, but definitely exciting for me! My parents are coming home and my family will all be together again in just a few short days. Shawn is the only one who will be missing from the clan (physically) but I am sure we will talk to him on Skype and talk about him as if he were home! :)

Some of you know that my parents left in December to go to Jerusalem where my dad was working for BYU and their study abroad program. Initially my two brothers, Derek and Daniel went on the program also. Then, in June Heather went over to be a student. So, I have felt like my family has been fragmented to say the least.

A special thanks to all of you who have let me cry on your shoulder, been understanding of my parents being so far away or put up with my ups and downs through these last months. My thanks cannot be fully expressed. I have had good and bad times with them gone and through it all I have had such great friends who have stood by me. Also, my mom and dad, while they have been thousands of miles away have been as "present" as they could be -- even if it meant I woke up at 5 AM to talk to them on the computer, or that I called them late at night in the middle of a nervous breakdown.

I can hardly wait to see my dad's smile and those little crinkles that come by his eyes -- in fact, I was watching BYU TV just yesterday (cheesy I know) just because he was on and I wanted to hear his laugh. I am sure that he will turn on his favorite music and sing along while he asks us if we have missed hearing his beautiful voice. He will be so glad to have his relax-the-back chair and won't even care when the grandkids climb on him. He will call me his little mess, and I won't even care!

I can already feel my mom hugging me (mostly you feel bones when you hug my mom, but that is okay too) and telling me that she loves me. I can see the happiness in her face as she will proudly tell us all about the treasures that she has brought home for us. She will assure us that it is okay that the garden didn't grow like normal "some years are like that", she will say. Not only is my mom the world's most optimistic person, but my mom lives to serve, and I hope that someday I can be just like her. Everything she does is to help someone else.

So, as of 3:00 on Tuesday when my open house at school is over, you can bet that I will be going straight home to see the people I love. I am sure that there will be lots of happy tears, laughing, stories and the talking won't ever stop. I have so much to say and I can hardly wait. Only 48 hours and they will stepping off of a plane, and a few more after that I will truly be home!

I never thought I could feel home-sick so close to home, but I have learned that home isn't so much a place as it is the people who are there, and the people I love most will be at 650 South Mohawk Avenue sooner than later, so for a time, that will be home, and then. . . . . . who knows!

Pay It Forward

My friend Becky did this really fun thing called Pay it Forward. It works like this, I responded to her blog post and I got a really cool present (some great things for school starting -- treats, hand sanitizer, a giant eraser and other cute things) Now, I get to Pay it Forward. For the first 3 people that comment on this post about the Pay it Forward will get a fun little treat from me. Exciting, huh? You don't know what it will be (I am not even sure yet, but it will be something fun!) and then you get do the same on your blog. So, have fun and post if you want to play! Also, if you live far away. . . . post your address so I can send you something!

My Brothers

I think that I have the best brothers in the world. I have not always thought that. . . like when I was 15 and Jim was 16. . . yes we are only 16 months apart. However, now I don't know what I would do without them. Last week I was able to go and spend the week with Jim and his family. He is a great dad, and surprisingly, a really good listener. I don't think he told me even once not to worry. We are making great progress. I am less emotional and he is less "fix it" :)
My next brother Shawn is starting medical school in Milwaukee on Monday. I am sure that he will do great, but I will miss having he and his wife and little girl close by.
Next comes Derek, the eternal optimist. He is my brother that would leave me love notes on my bed when I lived at home, and will do anything for you if you just give him a back rub. Plus he has that curly hair that I just love. There is something that just makes you smile when you see his "beach bum" hairdo and tan skin.
Daniel comes next. He is the baby of the family --- and our little baby just received his mission call today. We just opened it about 30 minutes ago. He will be serving in Ukraine, and leaving on November 5th. I think that it is really starting to hit me that my family is kind of all over the place. He is thrilled to go and serve, and just like my other brothers will make a great missionary. I feel so lucky to have brothers who were/are worthy to serve missions and also who have a desire to serve. Their smiles make my day, and their love sustains me when I am not so sure. So, congrats to Daniel on his call to serve!

Have you Ever?

Don't get all worked up about these beautiful flowers. I wish I could say that they came from someone special, but sadly they didn't. It was more like this:

I had to go to Costco to buy treats for school. My basket was loaded with things like goldfish crackers, m&m's, cheez-its, gummy bears, animal crackers and nilla wafers. Oh ya, and a really really great rug for my classroom that I found for a mere $24. 95! So, I was walking up and down the aisles, thinking to myself, "School is starting again, and I need a pick me up that doesn't have anything to do with easing little children's hunger pains 10x a day for the first two weeks of school." (Honestly, I feel like I am just a robot those first few weeks when I am asked starting at 8:31 am: "Teacher when is lunch?" Yes, they are hungry that early....and the hunger continues all day!)

Anyway, as I am pushing my cart down aisles packed with mothers who have diapers, wipes and applesauce, and bachelors who have their year supply of Pringles Take-Alongs and toilet-paper I spotted a little greenery among the grey I was feeling! These beauties were just shouting my name. However, inside I was having an argument with my self. "You don't buy yourself flowers." my self was saying. I fought right past myself and put those flowers right into my cart. I couldn't wait to come home and put them in a vase on my table. I knew that I had those place-mats that matched just perfectly.


So, while buying yourself flowers might be just a little bit crazy, it sure did make me feel great and I love looking at them!

Welcome Back!

Every school year (for the past 8 years) I have sent out "welcome back" postcards to my upcoming students. This is the first year that I have made them. I will admit that while I do like doing "crafty" things, mostly I did this, because it seemed easier than driving to Utah Idaho Supply to buy already made postcards. It ended up being really fun! I think that they turned out pretty cute. They aren't anything fancy, but I hope that all those little eager 6 year olds will know when they get these little pieces of mail that they have a teacher who can't wait to be a part of their life for the next year. Honestly, I can't think of any other job I would rather have. . . . . and with that said, maybe at some point I should go set up my classroom too!

Lessons in Patience

When I was "younger" my mom would often say to me: "Amber you need to do _________. . . it will teach you patience!" Obviously, I wasn't a very patient child, teenager or really adult either. When I got a job teaching school (1st grade) my mom was elated. "Oh, finally she will have to learn patience, dealing with all those little 6-7 year olds." Much to her dismay, I could be really patient dealing with children, but when it came down to being patient for anything or anyone else, I was still a beast! Another example of patience: My mom always wanted me to wait for a missionary. I think she thought that would be fun for both of us, since she had waited for my dad, and plus it would teach me patience. Right? Wrong! I didn't wait for a missionary and got more and more impatient as time passed. I had brothers who served missions, but lets be honest, sometimes it was nice to have them gone, and I didn't really have to learn patience.

Anyway, now I think I am truly living a life of patience -- my mom is probably SO happy!
I have been getting more patient as time has gone on, but still I find that the person and circumstances I am the most impatient with have nothing to do with my mother (I still may get a little bit feisty, but not impatient!) they have everything to do with me. I have a hard time being patient with myself. Isn't it true that we are our own worst enemy. So, lately, I have been praying for patience -- bad idea -- just kidding, it is a really good idea, but you have to be willing to really learn patience. I'll tell you what, the Lord sure is teaching me some good lessons in patience. See mom, maybe I'll learn after all.

ps -- Right now we are waiting patiently for the mailman to come and bring my brothers mission call.... :)