Tagged (Thanks Linda)

Thanks to Linda I have been tagged in her blog and now must write eight things about me then continue the process. Okay, here are the rules for this tag: 1: Each player starts with 8 random habits/facts about themselves. 2: People who are tagged need to write a post on their blog about their eight things and post these rules. 3: At the end of the post you need to choose 8 people to get tagged and list their names. Here go my eight things:

1. I love reality TV. Even though it's not really reality, it's still fun to laugh at the childishness and idiocy of the people that go on these shows. How many times does a conversation really need to bleeped out? C'mon, be smart and use real words. The pettiness is hilarious. People may graduate high school, but they don't necessarily leave it behind.

2. Contrary to popular beleif, I am not perfect and do not come from the perfect family.

3. I am totally scared of relationships. I have seen too many of my friends get hurt and be the one to pick up the pieces that I don't want that. I have also seen my parent's relationship fail. They are not divorced but I sometimes wonder if they would be happier that way. Not part of this but some advice, if you ever want to be married, become my best friend. Everyone that I become close friends with gets married. It's a no fail plan.

4. I don't trust anyone and I haven't since high school. I use to be a very trusting person until it all blew up in my face. If I trust anyone it's because I have known them for years (and I mean yeeeeears) before there was trust. As a part of this I don't like to get close to anyone because when I do, they leave, find someone else they would rather be friends with, or something else happens and they completely forget about me.

5. I love the outdoors. I love walking around a garden, hiking at a park or just sitting on a bench listening to the wind and watching the creatures around me. I am so grateful for al lthe beauty around me. The Lord has blessed us with all of this so we could find peace, comfort and joy. The world would be an ugly place if everything was the same color.

6. I love to laugh and smile. A kid in my class the other day got nailed in the forehead with a tennis ball. I tried to be serious and get mad at the person who threw the ball, but I had to turn around and laugh, because it was so darn funny. The kid that was hit was also one kid I was secretly hoping would get hit. Sad, I know, but funny as all else! It helps that the kid was okay.

7. Blues Brothers, Animal House, Caddyshack, Back to School - the greatest comedies of all time with the best comedians of all time. I said earlier I love to laugh and smile and all these movies do just that.

8. I am a very private person. I don't like airing my feelings out in the public. Why bother other people with my problems when they have enough of their own to deal with? Plus, my problems aren't as big as others so what's the point in telling others? So then why do I have a blog? It's a great way of keeping a personal history. I am usually on the computer so why not have a journal on the computer. Plus I only know of two people that read this anyway, so it's not like it's a big deal and the whole world reads it.

There you go, eight things about me. There are more things about me, but I will save those for another day. Now I have to tag eight other people? I don't know that many people that blog so I will write a few names and hopefully they read this and start a blog of their own: Janelle, Jenny W, Eric, Becky, Laura, Adrienne, Stephanie and John.

Best Weekend Ever! (At least at this time in my life)

This weekend has been full on wonderful things. First off was a relaxing Friday evening with no stress. Who wouldn't want that? Then came Saturday morning. It was early, but who cares? Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful thing to be a part of. I had a blast learning how to hang siding. It took all day to get about 1/4 of one side of the house done, but it was a great learning experience. It was also frustrating. Measuring then having to measure again because the measurement was off, then the siding breaking during cutting process, ahhh man! It was a great day. I was going to leave at lunch so that way I could have more time to clean my place, do laundry and all the other normal work I do on Saturday, but I couldn't leave. I couldn't leave my group and the rest of the building crew. I am really glad I stayed the whole time.

Saturday night was watching Trinity get creamed by Wheaton, but it was fun to be with friends. I even saw one of my students at the game. Crazy! This is the Saturday I have been needing for a long time. My weekends are usually trying to accomplish those things that I never have a chance to do during the week because of my schedule. I threw all of that out the window and just relaxed. It was nice.

Today, I had a great day at Stake Conference. I love seeing all the people in the stake. I don't know everyone or really anyone outside my ward, but to see all the members of the stake just renewed my strength. Listening to converts tell their stories of conversion was great. Then tonight going to a nice dinner group and lovely conversation with others was wonderful. Could you ask for a better weekend? I mean, what else is there? Service, friends, uplifting, enlightenment, realxation and fun are what weekend should be all about. I am now rested and ready for the week ahead and looking forward to next weekend. Oh, I almost forgot, I ran four miles this weekend. A continuous four miles. I have only done that one other time in my life and it was after a soccer practice as punishment. This time it was for my own enjoyment and fun. I don't know the next time I will do that, but I had fun doing it.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to fulfill my civic responsibility as a sitizen of the United States of America. Yes, I am talking about what you are thinking about----jury duty. Weren't thinking that? What were you thinking? It was a very stressful day. I love being able to serve my country any way I can right now. I just wish it had been over summer when I had time and didn't have to worry about the poor teacher that had to watch 50 kids for an hour and a half. So I get there really early in the morning and wait in line to be let in the central jury room. Then I sit there and wait. and wait, and wait some more. I had a great time catching up on some reading that I had been wanting to do for a while, so it was a winner of a situation. It's almost 11am and I keep thinking just a few more minutes and they will send us to lunch and then no one else will be in court so they will dismiss us. A few minutes later the girl goes to the microphone and says that the next court needs a panel of 75 jurors. So we are getting higher in the numbers and my name has not been called. Then it happens, number 48. We are escorted to the courytoom where we are told the case we may be on a jury for a murder case. The sent chills up my spine and made me a bit nervous. Maybe more than a bit nervous, I was shaking a little. What would I say about being a juror on a murder trial if I was picked? What games and activities would I need to prepare for my classes? Thoughts just kept entering my head. It took four hours to choose a final 12 jurors. It was a long process and some of the people that were in that room were really scary. How many times and in how many ways can a person describe the same thing for people to understand? There are some people that if I were on trial I would never want on my jury. Those people sitting in the room are not my peers. If I were the defendent I would have been really worried about some of the people there. I wasn't picked, so that was a relief. I don't know what I would do for a murder trial. It's a really scary thought that somene else's future is in your hands. It's a scary thought to put your future in someone else's hands.
The crazy thing is that I could not keep from looking at the defendent and now, every time I hear about shooting a gun, murder, killing or anything like that I see his face, the face of an indicted murderer. I just keep thinking the man looked like someone who would walk down the street and I would say hi to him. Many people like to think that murderers are crazed people with a scary look in their eye and some wierd hair-do or something else crazy (like Phil Specter, remember him?). I know the defense attorneys coach their client and tell them how to dress and how to look to look as innocent as possible. I get that. It was just a strange thing to look at someone who looks like every other person on the street and know that he has been indicted for such a serious crime and is facing 5-life in prison. I don't know, I just can't get that face out of my head. I hope it goes away soon, but I don't know. It's a sad situation really. Sad for the families involved. Sad for those that have to go through the trial, the hurt and the heartache.
I am grateful that I am not on that jury, but even more grateful to have been able to serve my country the best way I can right now.

Got to Have Faith

Tonight I was helping a great woman clean the kitchen after a great dinner and she said something that really caught my attention. She said, "We will be cooks at Adam-Ondi-Ahman." That really started me thinking. Will I be ready and have enough faith to drop what I am doing and travel to Adam-Ondi-Ahman when it is my time to go? I no doubt would have alot of fun cooking and serving others, but could I leave my life behind and go and do as the Lord would have me do? Do I have the strength and faith of Nephi to do so? Can I go and do as the Lord would have me do? I hope I am able to go when called upon. There are so many questions I have that can only be answered at the time. Of course, I say now that I would be able to do all that jazz, but when it comes down to it I don't know what I would do.
Faith, do we ever really know how much of it we have? The faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains, but I have never moved a mountain before. Maybe I have moved mountains of laundry or scarfed down mountains of food, but to really move a mountain, never. I know that the Lord will ptotect me when needed, and give those things I stand in need of, but does my faith go deeper than that? One of my Institute teachers, Elder Waldvogel, once said, "Faith is what we have before we have knowledge. Once we have experienced faith it becomes knowledge. For example, when paying tithing you have faith that if you pay that ten percent blessings will come. Once you have received and recognized those blessings that faith becomes knowledge." I love that because it helped me understand more about faith and knowledge and how testimonies grow.
I want to share my testimony tonight. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the one and only true church on the face of the earth today. I know that Jesus Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, hung on the cross, and rose three days later so that all mankind may be saved. I know Heavenly Father knows me and my needs personally. I know He will lead and guide me if I first put my faith in Him. I know Joseph Smith Jr. was a true prophet and restored the gospel of Jesus Christ to its full glory in this last despensation. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the true and living prohet on the face of the earth today. I know the scriptures are true . I know the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and the words are true. I know that if I am endure to the end and do those things that I need to in order to continually progress that I will be blessed. I know families can be together forever. I know that I am a daughter of God. I know the Lord loves me and knows me personally. I love the gospel and the things that it has done for my life. I hope to be able to keep the things I know and continue to learn more. I am grateful for those missionaries that found my Grandpa and Grandma Smith as well as the missionaries that found my dad. I am grateful for their faith and courage to do those things that their families were not happy about but that they knew were right. I have always felt extremely blessed and am grateful for all the Lord has given me.

A Little Goes A Long Way

I was having a really stressful day today and just when I thought it couldn't get any better, it did. Thanks to friends I had a great pick me up today. I am grateful for the promptings others receive. A little note or a quick compliment really goes a long way. The Spirit is a strong companion and I love how people are so in tune with it.

Day of Fun and Lessons Learned

Today I had the best time at the school parent picnic. I was a little stressed going into it because of all the games that were suppose to be played. Every year I have been in charge of getting games and activities together for the picnics. I always freak out because I don't want people to be bored or not play the games and things like that. Every year the teachers are suppose to help with the games, so this year I made a few suggestions and then let the teacher come up with a few gamesthat they would like to do. I really tried to not stress over things, but I did. It turned out to be really fun. We didn't do near the activities that we had planned, but that's okay. The kids and parent seemed to have fun. The teacher were able to meet more parents and I even was hit with a water bomb (darn Hannah, I will get her back. She won't know when or where, but I will get her back). The best part was the pinata. It was the toughest pinata I have ever seen. An hour later and the thing stil was not broken. The legs were gone but the body would not bust! I couldn't believe it. It we finally let it fall to the ground and one of the kids beat it to oblivion. It was great! I honestly spent a whole day of working hours at the park. I was there at 8am and didn't leave until almost 3pm.
While I was pulling the pinata a kid came up to me wanting to help me with the pulling. The kid's name is Garrett. He is a SPED kid. I don't know if he's someone's brother or just some random kid from another part of the park, but he is the most awesome kid I have met. After the picnic I was talking to a few of the other teachers and they were sharing their experiences with Garrett. The art teacher decided to do a little donation fundraiser so she would be able to get more supplies for her art club. She had a little jar at her face-painting booth for people to donate. Garrett said he wanted to help and wanted to take the jar around. The teacher then said the jar was okay where it was. Garrett then said, "No, I am going to get donations!" Next, he was talking to another kid and telling him to donate. The other kid said he didn't have any money to donate so Garrett took two dollars out of the jar, handed to the kid and said, "Now you have two dollars to donate. Put it in the jar." The jar had $32 at the end on an hour. Priceless. I love it! He was also helping out with the food. He was telling a parent that the beans were too soupy and in order to make it better you ahve to stir it all the time. Then said the beans were still too soupy and said they would be better served in cups then ran, grabbed some cups and starting serving. This kid is going to do great things for a company someday with all his problem solving skills. Garrett is an amazing kid. It goes to show you can't judge a book by it's cover.
I got home today and was so excited to watch General Conference but I couldn't keep my eyes open and I ended sleeping through the whole thing. I am grateful that Conference is a two day event so I am not totally corrupted......yet. It has turned into a great day of fun.

It's the Little Things that Count

Hahahahaha! I just had to start out with a laugh. The funniest thing alomst happened to my dad today. He almost got arrested! I was wondering when it was going to happen. Haha! My dad helps with the cross country meets since he has alot of soccer players who run cross country. The school had attained the permit to have the park for the hours needed to themselves for the meet. So this group of people comes wanting to play soccer. My dad goes over to find out what is going on and to see what he could do to help. The other groups was mad that they could not play soccer at the park. My dad told them he would be able to give up the soccer field and one of the softball fields during that time. Well, the group ws not happy so they called the cops. The cop shows up and never talks to my dad or Asst. AD for the school district. He talks to the angry folks then confronts my dad's group. The Asst. AD goes over and introduced herself to the cop as the Asst AD for the school district, sticks out her had for a handshake and the cop just stands there staring at her hand. My dad is looking in amazement at the insidiousness of the cop and the whole situation. The cop was very confrontational the entire time. The AD tells the cop they have the permit for the entire park and that they tried to work with the group to let them use one of the already reserved fields. The cop was still very rude. my dad tries to tell the cop what is going on and that they needed certain areas for the warm-ups and starts for the runs. The cop says they don't need to use the reserved areas. What are they suppose use, the surrounding desert? Whatever. My dad starts getting into it a little with cop. The cop says "I run long distance and I you don't need these areas." That is the totally wrong thing to say to a seasoned coach and someone who went to college for all that stuff and is the best in his field whereever he goes. Dad pops off with, "I don't teach your gun control classes, so you don't tell me how to run my cross country team." Just like Dad to say something like that in the heat of the moment. Thankfully, he wasn't arrested. Since the school district had the permits the cop couldn't really do anything. That makes for a great "almst got arrested story."
This week has been a good week. I really feel like things at work are falling into place. Some of the kids that have been giving me a hard time have decided to leave the school and new kids are coming in. Hopefully these new kids are better. It took six weeks for things to start calming down. I had some really great experiences this week with my students that concreted, in my mind, that I am doing with my life is what I am suppose to do. I was reading the journals I have my kids write in for a little bit during each class. One of the journals was on who has influenced you in your life. As I read one of my students mentioned that I was an influence in her life. She was a kid who never liked sports until she came into my class last year in sixth grade. Then later that day I had one of my high school students tell me that I was the greatest PE teacher he has ever had. He also said I was the coolest after our discussion about Pink Floyd and Aerosmith and some other older groups. Another student who I never really seemed to ge tthrough to has started talking to me more about what is going on with him. He is not like the other kids. He actually listens and tried to learn stuff and follws directions to a "T", so other kids have a hard time woth him and like to amke fun of him and treat him bad. I have become more aware of how he is doing throughout the day and when he comes into Study Hall he sits next to me. That is the time for me to talk to him and make sure he is doing okay. I sometimes think he could be the kid to just go crazy on ya in the middle of the hall so I make sure to treat him with great care. We were talking about something the other day and he thanked me for being a listening ear and trying to help him with stuff. After three years I feel like I am starting to find my niche in the teaching world. I just hope I am able to be an influence for good in other kid's lives. I love what I do and the opportunities it gives me to hopefully change someone else's perspective and even life.