Faith, Hope, and Love

At the moment, my little sixth graders are in the throes of learning about economy. It's been going amazingly smooth so far... especially since I know very little about economy myself. I scrapped by with a low B in high school, made a 1 on the AP test (or did I even take it?), and completely avoided it in college. But here I am teaching kids about exporting and importing, goods and services, and a whole bunch of other complicated economic terms. The one lesson that was probably the hardest (and which I'm still not sure if the kids really understand) is Factors of Production. You know... land, labor and capital. Except we called them "human resources," "capital resources," and "natural resources." Somehow they don't seem to equate human to literally mean human (I'm still getting kids who think a car is a human resource since it's made by humans--that by the way, would make it a capital resource). And then let's not even get star...

Here's your chance to join the greatest school in Houston!

1. Finding a new church 2. Making new friends Who would have thought two things would be so hard to find in a new place. But man, is it hard. The church thing isn't too horrible... it's just more the desire to find a place and getting to know people and feeling a part of the congregation. That just takes a while. I mean, I will admit that I can be kind of picky about churches--I can be critical of the worship (it can't be too solemn, can't be too rock-n-roll, I appreciate some old time hymns thrown in here and there), critical of the sermon (my Bible needs to be opened at least once, and I like flipping through it and seeing connections between scripture), critical of the people (which is horrible, since I'm not perfect. But I guess in a church setting, I don't like people who are too spiritual, or people who seem to just be there for a good time). Usually, you have to give and take a bit, which I do. But no matter what, I want a church to feel like home. ...

So remember in Jaunary when I spent a week trying to be really green ? Yeah, well... I'm doing it again . And this time, I got the smart idea of trying to involve the entire school. So far I haven't honestly been that successful (only 7 people offically signed up for the group). But... people are asking me about it, and today I got rid of the trash can in my class which completely shocked the kids. It was awesome! (Although, it's also for my own happiness because at least for this week I don't have to feel horrified as I watch my notes and handouts make their way into that grey plastic bucket versus the student's binders.) Tomorrow's focus is on Transportation... so, since I will NOT be taking the bus or any public transportation in Houston (that sounds more terrifying than it did in Dallas), I need to go bug some co-workers into letting me carpool with them for the rest of this week. I will say what I'm most excited about doing No Impact Week this tim...

Dear Dallas, For the past two years, you have been home. At first, I wasn't sure if I would like you. After all, I was born and raised in Fort Worth. All my best memories revolved around that city--exploring the seminary on bikes, falling in love with education at Hubbard Heights Elementary, and even that one day my sisters, cousins and I were scared off the crackhead (or was it a pothead?) at Rosemont Middle School. And then, after returning from Nigeria, I came back to Fort Worth, becoming one of the first Scorpions at South Hills High School before migrating to Arlington to become a Bowie Volunteer. But Dallas...? You were always that far off place. The city that was part of my beloved metroplex (and which I often told people I was "from"), but that I never really felt a part of. Until these last two year... I came to you, six months out of getting my master's degree to work at the Dallas Morning News . It was a great summer, which officially kicked off my...

Last week I was offered a job. Which, considering the fact I have been unemployed for nearly a year, I gladly accepted. Not to say I took the job JUST because I needed one... I'm actually very excited about the opportunity, and it's at such a great school (you're looking at the newest 6th grade social studies teacher!), and I'm already friends with one of my future co-workers. But even though I said yes, and promptly began celebrating, the reality of what this all means only began settling in today when.... ... I got and signed my contract, all my hiring paperwork, and all the welcome e-mails and notifications that announced my status as an official employee! ... I went to get some boxes from a friend, and realized that I've already packed up most of my apartment and don't really need to box up too much more. :( ... I went in to my last day of tutoring at Huntington. That's the one that probably hit me the most: Saying goodbye to the Huntington ...

God, I needed this . Thank you. 

Canon Imagination , a group on Flickr. So I ran across this randomly while playing around online and got pretty excited. I love my Canon! And what greater way to see all I can do with it by checking out other people's photos! Also, I saw something about inspiring a Ron Howard production with photographs . Which got me really excited. I thought, 'Hey, maybe I could enter..." But after reading a bit more, it turns out I've missed the deadline. And there's already some semi-finalists and stuff. Winners will be announced in July. So while my briefly lifted hopes were quickly deflated, it still got me thinking about how I should get out there and take more pictures. And suddenly... I'm feeling a bit more inspired. We'll see what comes out of me over the next few weeks or so!

Yesterday was a rough day. And I won't lie and pretend that things are alright now. I'm still a little down, but regardless of all the jerks out there, I have to admit that I have some really awesome friends. And they are constantly my sunshine after the any thunderstorm that comes blowing through  my life. And it's kind of like they all knew I had such a crappy day yesterday, because I was showered with love today. I got a text from one of my girls in Dallas proclaiming how much she missed me. And then one of my other besties gave me a call and we chatted for like an hour, which was nice. I needed those bits of love. Reminders that somewhere out there, people think of me. And care about me. Definitely brightened my mood.

Goodness, I love weddings! Over Memorial Day Weekend, I went to my fourth (or is it fifth) this year. It was a sweet, little event in San Antonio. Goregous weather, even with the blazing heat. The breeze was just enough to keep you cool. My favorite part was when the bride began walking down the aisle. The groom instantly got teary-eyed. The bride keep craning her neck over the guest to catch a glimpse of her love. You knew the moment their eyes met--her face broke out into a bright smile. And as they drew closer together, she mouths, "I love you." The whole ceremony was like a glimpse into their intimate world. As they held hands, shared secret smiles, whispered sweet nothings to each other, said their vows. If there were pictures in the dictonary, all this would have been captured by the word "love." I know the groom better than the bride, and I know how long he prayed and waited on God to bring him his Eve. And from the short time I've been bless...

"Hope Floats" So, I was on Twitter the other day and noticed that #alicebucketlist was trending. I was curious, so I clicked on it, and found this blog . Alice is a 15-year-old cancer patient. She recently learned it was terminal and began her blog to track what's left of her life. Do as much as she can on her bucket list (and dream about the ones she can no longer achieve), and let the world share each step of the journey with her. One of the items on Alice's bucket list is to get everyone to be a bone marrow donor (I became one last year; wrote  a blog  about it for CURE). Another was to be trend on twitter (hence the #alicebucketlist ). The concept is kind of sad. But it's also inspiring. And... kind of hopeful. Reading through Alice's blog reminded me of Alicia Parlette (who I also wrote a blog about for CURE). A lot of the same thoughts and emotions swirled through me, so I thought I'd share a little bit of it here (to read the whole ...

One of the few things I didn't like about Nigeria was not being able to drive.  Besides not holding a driver's license (although my dad was all for my brother and I getting one), the roads are also way too narrow for my liking, and finally, drivers in Nigeria are a bit crazy. Their hands seem to be permanently glued to their horns, and there's a lot of speeding, abrupt stopping, and driving on whatever side of the road suits you at the moment (after all, you gotta avoid those pot holes!).  While I am known to be a bit of a fast driver, I am NOT an aggressive one. And aggression is one trait you need to survive the roads back home. Thank God for drivers!  But while I was absolutely grateful to have Mr. Tunde and Mr. Remi at my disposal, I kind of missed getting in my car and going wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted. And since they were really my parents' drivers, it's not like they were honestly at my disposal. And then there is the guilt factor. Once, Mr. T...

For the summer, I'm working for Teach for America at it's Houston Institute. For those of you who don't know, Teach for America is a non-profit that recruits recent college grads to teach in urban and rural school districts. Their goal is to decrease the achievement gap of low-income kids. Kind of ironic that I just got my teaching certification, I'm working for a teaching organization, but as of right now I will not  be teaching in a school in the Fall, huh? Well... I mean, it could still happen. But I'm still on the job hunt. So far, it's been a pretty interesting experience. It's awesome to see so many people passionate about ensuring that every child in the U.S. has the opportunity to a great education. Yesterday was the Welcoming Ceremonies, and it was pretty much a bunch of speeches from Teach for America leaders, alum, and corps members about why they joined the corps, how they were inspired by their students, and just a general challenge to the 2...

I've been absent.  From the blog, but also from the country.  In general, things got really busy with student teaching and life that I wasn't being very consistent with my posts. And then, I went to Nigeria for two and a half weeks, and had hoped to blog there. But, honestly, I was having way too much fun catching up with family and friends that, while not forgotten, my friends here took a backseat. Sorry! :/ In my defense, though, internet speed for where I was in Nigeria wasn't the greatest, and was online only enough to... ... get a job for the summer!  That's right! I'm employed again! Well... for at least the next six weeks. I'll be working with Teach for America. It's a communications gig. It'll be in Houston, which I'm pretty excited about. I have quite a few good friends down there, plus there's my precious nephew :)  There's so much to do, and so little time, so I'm off! Just wanted to say that while taking a break was fab...

Familiar with this scene? : A woman browsing, stops a sales person. WOMAN SHOPPER Do you have the "Shoe" books? SALESPERSON The "Shoe" books? Who's the author? WOMAN SHOPPER I don't know. My friend told me my daughter has to read the "Shoe" books, so here I am. KATHLEEN Noel Streatfeild. Noel Streatfeild wrote Ballet Shoes and Skating Shoes and Theater Shoes and Movie Shoes... (she starts crying as she tells her) I'd start with Skating Shoes, it's my favorite, although Ballet Shoes is completely wonderful. SALESPERSON Streatfeild. How do you spell that? KATHLEEN S-T-R-E-A-T-F-E-I-L-D. It's from one of my favorite movies, "You've Got Mail." There's something about that movie that always gets me hooked. If it comes on TV, I have to stop and watch it, no matter what scene it's in. I often imagine myself being like Kat...

April 29th. That will be my last day student teaching. A part of me is really sad. And part of me is beyond excited. I'm excited that I no longer have to divide my time and feel pulled in a million different directions. I'm excited that I don't have to spend eight hours a day teaching kids who are at times beyond unappreciative--especially with no pay. I'm excited to sleep in again, and catch up on all the shows I've been missing out on. But on the flip side... I'll kind of miss all the teachers and the kids. I'll miss trying to think of creative ways of teaching things. I'll miss having something productive  to do each day. I'll miss feeling like I mattered, and that I was contributing something to the world. I'll miss waking up knowing that there's a plan for each day and that this is what my life has been dedicated to. Because on April 29th, it's back to the job hunt. It's back to be unsure of what's next, or my future....

Right now there are two things I want badly: more time with my curly hair, and more time at the Dallas Arboretum. I got my hair did over Spring Break (it was MUCH overdue) and the lady who did it gave me some gorgeous curls. Now, I've gotten curls before, and I enjoy the way I look with them. But, in a way it never felt natural. And it was also generally a long, tedious process to go through. So, I don't get curls often. Usually I save it for special occasions (or when I feel like paying the extra bucks to get it done). Well, these curls makes me want to have them  everyday . Probably not the best view, but you get the idea.. Slightly better glimpse. And she did it all with a flat iron. No curling iron, no roller, no straws... just a flat iron. I need to learn this skill because, sadly, the curls are beginning to fall. They still look great--they've taken on this sweet waviness--but I'm not sure how much longer they'll last. Plus, I'm trying to ded...

Ever since  Ash Wednesday , I haven't been able to get that Crystal Lewis song out of my head. My dad happened to be in town that Wednesday and we had a good talk about Lent and what it meant. Growing up Baptist, Lent isn't something that we generally observe as a denomination. However, I do remember our church in Nigeria doing a 40 days of prayer and fasting leading up to Easter. And as I've grown older, I've become close friends with Catholics, Episcopalians, and other denominations that do observe Lent. And as I mentioned in my last blog, I never really got it. In fact, once in in high school I almost wiped off the ash cross on a friend's forehead thinking it was an accidental smug mark. While my dad and I were talking, the subject of how the Jews mourned through ashes and sackcloth was related to Ash Wednesday. In a sense, by wearing the ash cross on your forehead you're "mourning" your sinful nature and what it cost Christ to save you. It...

Happy Ash Wednesday! Or is that what you say when Lent begins? I'm not sure... as I've never really observed Lent. Last year was my first "go" at it, and all I did was participate in this Lenten devotional. This year, I'm not fasting, but I am giving up secular music. I had kind of stopped listening to secular radio for a while, but fell off the wagon over Christmas (I love me all types of Christmas tunes!). Plus... the Christian radio stations in Dallas DRIVE ME INSANE! But at the same time, I feel like my focus is being drawn away from Christ when I'm listening to Rhianna sing about sex and stuff like that. I used to wake up singing hymns, or I'd burst out into a worship song as I washed dishes. Now I'm singing, "What's my Name?" Not liking that at all. Not that I think anything is wrong with secular music. And it's not like I plan to never listen to any of it again. But at least for the next 40 days that's the plan becaus...

Today my kids were taking their Writing TAKS test, and since I'm only the lowly student teacher I got to have the day off. I guess I could have gone and observed in the 5th grade class, or maybe helped out in the library. But since I've been sick over the last week, and just stressed and exhausted in general, my mentor teacher thought it'd be good for me to have a personal day. And did I need a personal day. For one, two weeks ago my mentor teacher went to a professional development workshop and was gone for the day. So, our 4th grade class had a substitute... who did nothing . I mean, I basically had a good handle of the class. I was teaching the spelling and grammar, and then guided them in their centers and stuff. And so I guess she didn't really need  to do anything. But this sub was on her phone a lot, and kept running off to the bathroom, and then would walk up to me WHILE I WAS TEACHING and start holding conversations with me and stuff. It was like, "oka...

If you've been reading the blog for a while (or at least at the beginning of the year), you know that I spent he first week of 2011 attempting to reduce my impact on the environment . No Impact Week was inspired by No Impact Man , who kept a blog, wrote a book, and made a documentary about the one year he and his family lived a no-impact life. It was a gradual process. The cut things out weekly/monthly in order to see if it's possible to have a good life without wasting so much stuff. Which... if we have to admit, as Americans, we waste A LOT. The family had no TV, no electricity. They ate only local foods and ate vegetarian. The rode bicycles are scooters everywhere. They used no toilet paper and cloth diapers for their young daughter (who, as a side note, was super cute!). When I heard the no toilet paper thing at the beginning of the year, I was like, "uh... do I have to do that?" I found him just a little bit crazy and over-the-top and I had no desire to fol...

So, I guess you could say I'm a fan of Francesca Batistelli. I find her some of her lyrics quirky, and other times they are super deep. And to top it all of, she's an alto, which means I can truly sing along to all of her songs with no problems :) Anyway, I was listening to the radio the other day and her latest single came on. And it's come on at least one other time over this last week. And man... can I say I needed this song? Cause there's A LOT of "stuff" that's been driving me crazy and a lot of "stuff" has been getting to me within these last few weeks. And it's kind of nice to get a message that reminds me, "It may not be what I'd choose, but this is the stuff [God uses]" and I've just gotta trust Him. It's especially nice when that message is accompanied by a ukulele and catchy tune :) Enjoy this live performance of the song:

I've always liked you. I want to make sure you know this, just cause I have a lot of friends who feel the opposite. For them, you bring heartache, feelings of loneliness and inadequacy. And I'll admit, there were some years where I felt a twinge of that, too. But, mostly, especially lately, I've really enjoyed you. Like last year, how you brought me a fun-filled girl weekend. A sleep-over, the girlie movies, cookies and candy. There was so much laughter and love . It was better than having a guy buy me roses or chocolate, or take me on a romantic dinner. Not the cookies I baked, but mine were heart-shaped!  And this year, we had a baking party! Desserts galore! Chocolate cake and cupcakes, blondies (brownies sans the chocolate), lemon-line mousse, strawberries with some sort of white chocolate, cinnamon creme. Oh, and I made cookies from scratch ( fulfilling one of my new year's resolutions )! We watched the obligatory girlie movies, and had the obligatory conv...

All my Aggies can rest assured. I won't be becoming a Longhorn anytime soon. That's the easy way of saying that I got my decision from UT-Austin concerning my MFA application . And it was a 'no.' I'm honestly not really surprised. For one, UT is ranked #3 in the nation and it's ranked #1 when it came to selectivity. Only like 1 percent of applicants get admitted each year. Also, I think the short story I think was my best didn't make it into UT's packet since I wasn't done with it by the deadline. BUT... I still kind of hoped. My heart's in Texas. Big time. And while I had fun that one year living in Chicago, and I sort of (but vaguely) had fun that one year living in Missouri (mentioning the actual city is pointless; it was so small), and I think it'd be cool to live in other parts of the country for a while... Texas is my home. I really wanted to stay at home. Plus, I have the cutest  nephew who I hate the idea of being too far away...

Last week, Dallas got hit with a lot of snow and ice. We had school on Monday, and then no school Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Four snow days that created a six-day weekend. It sounds lovely, but in reality I hated it, haha. First of all, I was stuck at home. A lot of things were closed, none of my friends wanted (or could!) leave their houses, and I couldn't really leave my apartment either. I spent the four days reading, writing and watching TV. Three things I normally LOVE to do, but when it's all  you have to do, it gets old after a while. (Who would have ever thought I'd get tired of reading ?!?! Although I did read like five books over those four days, so...) Winter Wonderland The one time I tried leaving my apartment went a little like this: I bundle up and head out to the parking lot. With no gloves, my fingers instantly start to develop (very) minor frostbite. I have to avoid stepping on dog poo, because apparently due to the cold people in my ap...