Who Knew?

So...the other week Dave came home and told me that when he was working in Ligonear, IN, he saw a sign about The Marshmallow Festival! What?!?!?!? How exciting is that. A festival all about marshmallows. Fun! How can you pass up an opportunity such as this?

So yesterday, Jeff, Keely, Dave, I, Kim and Brady loaded up the mini-van and headed down to Ligonear. We arrived just in time for the Bradester to participate in the Marshmallow Olympics. Yep..that's right, the Marshmallow Olympics.

Here are Brady and Mommy

trying their hand at Marshmallow

Putt-Putt. Not an easy task, those

'mallows have a mind of their own.

Nothing like a little Marshmallow
Lacrosse to make your day complete!

Unfortunately, the Marshmallow Olympics was about all that was going on when we got there. The definate highlight was the free bag of marshmallows we got for coming. What's better than marshmallows...especially when their free?!?!?!?! We didn't know what to expect when we got there, so we walked around for a few more minutes and had had enough. We didn't really want to stick around and wait for the vendors to open for the overly priced fair food, so we decided to continue our adventure and go shopping in Shipshewana.

We had a great time walking through the town and in and out of the little shops. It's such a quaint, simple town that forces you to slow down and enjoy! We did! Dave even had time for an extremely short nap!

We had a great time! It was the perfect start to a long Labor Day Weekend!

Just In Case You've Been Hibernating...

There have been some amazing sunsets lately! Here's one that Dave and I saw Friday night about 8:45 up by the mall!

This Kid Has MAD Frisbee Skills. And I Don't.

It Wasn't A Bike Bust...Just An Alteration In Plans

Dave, Keely, Jeff and I decided to make a short road trip on Sunday of this past weekend. Dave suggested that we drive to Warsaw and go biking around Lake Winona. We had the opportunity to do this last summer with some friends and had a fantastic time, so we were looking forward to a great day!

Sadly, upon arriving to the Village of Winona, we found out the bike rental place was closed. There was no explanation on the door, just that they would be reopening Monday at 10. We were bummed. Although this was a very last minute decision, we were really looking forward to it. I immediately thought it was a bike bust. Dave quickly changed my mind and convinced me it wasn't a bust, it was just an alteration in plans.

We decided that although we couldn't ride around the lake, we could still visit the quaint little shops and walk the trails in the awesome nature park they have there. We had a great time. We were even lucky enough to see a baby deer and a cool green frog that we might not have seen if we were riding our bikes.

To the right, you will find the exact reason I love my husband and sister so much. They are map readers. Not me, I just start walking and hope for the best. They take care of me. They read the map so we don't get lost. I appreciate that about them.

Here is some of the scenery we saw along the way. It's a beautiful lake!

Dave was enjoying a refreshing drink from the natural spring!

Check It Out!

So I'm not that techinically suave yet. I haven't figured out how to transfer a picture from one blog to the other.

Click on my classroom blog and check out the picture of the shirt that I have on there.

I love it! It makes me laugh...probably because it's so true.

I Was Beat To The Punch Line...

Argh! I hate when you have those (what you think are the BESTEST ideas in the world) ideas that you think no one can top, only to find out, it's already been done. That's what happened to me tonight. I'm so bummed!

I have this friend...this friend named Lisa. She's just about the best friend anyone can ask for. I was fortunate enough to meet Lisa about 8 years ago. It started out as one of those friend-of-a-friend situations. Long story short...we each got hurt by the mutal friend and ended up together. Something I never thought I would celebrate, but I couldn't be more grateful!

Lisa is one of the people that I know I can tell anything and everything to. I know I'm not going to be judged, I know I'm not going to be laughed at, I know I won't be put down, I know I won't be thought less of. She's one of those forever friends. I can call her laughing and she understands. I can call her crying, and she understands. I can call her and say absolutely nothing, and she understands! She's that kind of friend.

For the past couple of years, Lisa has shown her strength in ways that I'm envious of. She has proven again and again how strong she is, how she can accomplish everything she sets her mind to, how amazing she is. I have learned MANY things from Lisa in the years that I've been blessed to call her my friend.

As I grow older, I'm becoming more and more aware of what real friendship looks like. What it means to have that person in your corner that is willing to do whatever they can for your sake. What it looks like to have a friend that puts you far before themselves. I'm so grateful that Lisa is that kind of friend.

Just like any friendship, we've had struggles, we've had disagreements and we have had loads of laughs. This is the amazing person I had the fortune to "get dunked by the big guy with" at our baptism! I wouldn't have traded that experience for the world. I have so enjoyed our friendship over the years, and can't wait to see where it will take us in the future.

Happy 30th Birthday, Friend. I love you!

I'm Letting Go!

As most of you know, I've been struggling lately. Struggling in a huge way.

Last night was one of those times at GCC that I truly believe Rob was talking to me. It's likely there were 500 other people in the room...but he was talking to me. Everything he said struck a cord, everything he did, he did for me. I'm so thankful I go to a church that knows exactely what I need.

It's time to let go. It's time to trust that better things are yet to come, it's time to fly.

As I was listening to Rob speak last night, I was flipping through my Bible. My dear friend Lisa and I had the opportunity to attend the Women's Retreat last Spring. I believe it was there that I was given this piece of paper that I found in my Bible last night. It has two songs on it. I can't remember if we sang them, or the purpose of the paper...other than me sticking it in my Bible and finding it last night...just when I needed it.

The Heartache that No One Sees

I've carried it around and I've hid it from the light

I've learned how to smile and pretend I'm alright

But I'm tired of this running and I'm tired of the pain

It's the wounds we deny that drive us insane

There is a heartache that no one sees

A frozen tear inside of me

I think tonight I'm going to set it free

Come and heal the heartache no one sees

I'm going down deep to the place that is broken

Going to embrace it, bring it out to the open

And bathe it in His grace

Make peace with the truth that I couldn't face

There is a heartache that no one sees

A frozen tear inside of me

I think tonight I'm going to set it free

Come and heal the heartache no one sees

Take this heartache, take this shame

Melt these tears and let them fall like rain

It's time to let go. It's time to trust that better things are to come. It's time to fly. I know My God will be my catcher. I want to enjoy the ride.

Delightful Doodling

This summer, two of my team members and I took a class for credit to put towards our next round of teaching certifications. We learned very valuable information in the class, one of which has really stuck with me.

We had the opportunity to do the Gregorc Style Delineator--or personality test. I found out that I am ABSTRACT RANDOM! (For those of you that really know me, you're already smiling because you agree!)

Here are the characteristics for Abstract Randoms:
Abstract world of feelings and emotions, viewing time as artificial and restricitive, living in the moment, emotional, psychic, perceptive, holistic, having an inner guidance syster, creating emotional attaachements, having strong relations, caring and good memories (this one doesn't fit me!), strong imagination, likeness for the arts, does not like when people represses feelings, criticism, dogmaticsts, lies, restriction, likes to be in an enviornment that is emotional, rich, active, open and colorful, uses lanugage that is metaphoric, vibrant and lots of body gestures.

With every positive, there must come a negative...here are the negatives about my personality: spacey, wishy-washy, irresponsible, indiscriminate, lazy and revengeful.

I agree with pretty much all of those.

Another team member was the same as I was. It's a pretty accurate account.

The third team member that teaches with us is opposite, in the Concrete Sequential catagory. Just listen to some of these and try to figure out how in the world we all work together so well and love one another so much!

Characteristics of Concrete Sequential: Likes the concrete world of the physical senses, likes step-by-step linear progression, thinking process is instincitive, methodical, deliberate, does not like theories, mixed signals, broken promises, clutter, likes the environment to be neat, clean, quiet, practical, orderly, stable and controlled.

We laughed for quite some time when we all took this test together, figuring Jen and I must drive Kendra absolutely insane.

Here's proof that our personality tests didn't lie. This week, we had our kids get a piece of paper and doodle on it for 10 seconds. We didn't tell them why. After the time was up, they had to pass their paper to another person, and it was that person's job to make something out of the doodle. We had 7 legged elephants, Dr. Suess's World, clouds, bumble bees, anything you can think of. Jen and I were amazed, pleased, awed. Kendra...well, she threw hers away. She thought they were lame, didn't make sense and boring.

I guess that just goes to show you that living outside the box is a lot more fun that looking out from the inside! :0)

First Day Jitters

Yikes! I woke up this morning with those same ol' FIRST DAY JITTERS that I usually experience come some time in August. It was the first day of our new school year.

This year was especially nerve wracking since I had a class of brand new kids...no one that I have had previously. That hasn't happened in quite some time. The good news is that there are only 24 of them in my homeroom...easy cheesy! I'm used to numbers between 30-32.

I went today with high expectations about our first day together...and I wasn't let down. We had an amazing day together. Lots of fun, lots of laughs and lots of learning. I'm really looking forward to the next 179 days of shaping and molding these young minds!

I May Have An Addiction...

So as I was laying around today, I realized something pretty powerful. I may have an addiction...to the OLYMPICS! It just seems like I can't get enough of them. I've even sat through beach volleyball and fencing...not two of my favorites.
I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow when I have to work...this is really going to put a wrench in my addiction. Eeek!

It's Never Easy

As most of you know, this has not been the best summer of my life. Dave and I have been through some pretty rough things over the past couple of months. Not only did we experience the death of closed loved ones, we also had to find ourselves saying goodbye to dear friends.
Our team at school recieved word in the middle of summer that one of our team members was leaving our school to go to Schmucker Middle School. God bless her for loving those middle school kids...they are NOT an easy group to treasure. We have had the pleasure of teaching with Nancy for two years, and she is an amazing educator. She will be greatly missed by her friends at NP, but we wish her well and know that we will see her often.
Last week, towards the end of the week, we recieved word of another team member leaving. This one was a bit harder. Not that Nancy leaving meant less, but Melissa leaving hit deep. I've had the pleasure of teaching with Melissa for 3 years and she is such an amazing person. She has taught me so many of life's lessons since I've gotten to know her. One of the biggest lessons she's taught me is of God's love. She is deep into her religion and her faith is inspiring. Her and Nathan, her husband, were the host and hostess for Dave and I's wedding. She did a reading. They were the perfect fit. She is just an awesome lady. Nathan has worked hard for many years at Notre Dame on his Doctorate and graduated in May. While we all knew them moving away was a possibility, none of us wanted to believe it would be so soon. They recieved word last week they were going to Pittsburgh for a super opportunity for Nathan's work. This is such a good move for them...such a loss for us! I am going to miss Melissa more than words can say. She brought laughter and love into every situation she was involved in. I hope that distance does not get in the way of our friendship!
Just when we thought there was nothing else that we could/wanted to deal with...our favorite teacher's aide came in to school to resign. Again...great move for her and her family...bad loss for us. Good news--her son's in my class this year! HOORAY for me! I can't wait to have her and her husband as parents in my room...guaranteed to have at least one set that will be delightful!
Today, we had the opportunity to go to lunch with these fine ladies to thank them for their service to us and our kids. Saying goodbye is so hard. I hate it. I left by saying good luck to all, and good bye to none...I refused. I'm putting my foot down to anymore good byes...they are getting old. I wish all three of them the best...and hope that our friendship continues to grow and blossom, even through the miles!

Help For The Hurting

There have been some events today that have got me thinking. I hope that when I leave this world, people (or at least one person) can look back and say something along the lines of, "Man...she was a great friend, good person, etc.) I kinda take pride in my friendships and being a person that other people can trust and count on. Today is a day that I'm afraid that won't be said.
I have a friend who is going through a REALLY rough time right now. As a matter of fact, her life just kinda sux right now, and she has been handling it better than anyone is giving her credit for. She is one of the strongest people I know, and doesn't believe in herself nearly as much as she should. She has taken the world by storm, proved to many people that she is strong and brave...and she is hurting. I hate that she is hurting. I hate it even more that I can't do a dang thing about it, or take her pain away. It's so frustrating to see someone you love and care about hurting. That's what I see when I see her. It is such a bummer. She deserves the best out of this world, and she's playing with a really bad hand right now. I wish I knew what to say, what to do, how to act, take her pain away...and I can't.
I hope she knows how much I love her and that I will always be here for her.

Why Can't We Just Catch A Break?

There's that old saying, "When It Rains, It Pours." That pretty much sums up our life right now. It seems like Dave and I can't catch a break to save our lives.
With everything going on lately, we set aside a chunk of time last night to just be together...we wanted to do something fun, so we decided to go to the Tri-Way Drive In down in Plymouth. Shortly before we were ready to take off, I let Reese out to go potty.
Let me break and back up a bit here...Reese is our approximately 9 month old Dachsund. We got her in March. She has a very strong bond with Dave...she very clearly was the male's dog from the family we got her from. Reese has put quite the challenge upon us lately, she has managed to find every teeny tiny hole in our back fence that she has been able to wiggle through. Right now, we have 6 extra pieces of fence put up along our existing fence, 2 places of chicken wire stuff that blocks off our shed and behind it, because that was her favorite place to escape and lots of rocks and bricks shoved under the fence to avoid her escape tactics. We have been feeling quite successful, as we have had 2 straight days of not running away. Even when she ran away, she would come back in about 20 minutes, waiting for us at the back door.
Well last night when we were outside, I was reading a note that my principal sent in the mail and looked up in time to see her tail just make it through the smallest-never-should-have-been-able-to-fit-through-hole in the fence. I immediately began the search. Dave came out to help and we yelled, and yelled, and yelled and yelled...to no avail. We searched and searched but could not find her anywhere.
We had a decision to make, go to the movie and trust she would come home, or skip the movie and keep yelling and searching. We BOTH agreed that she had always come home before, she would again and we had searched for about 40 minutes already. We went out the neighboorhood the backwards way, still hoping to catch a glimpse of her from the car. Nothing.
We went to the movie. We had a great time. We saw Step Brothers and Hancock. Getting ready to leave at 1:30 and the car was so dead it wouldn't even turn over. They assured us that leaving the key on just far enough to play the radio for sound does NOT drain the battery...I think maybe they lied. It was so late, it was so cold and the car was so dead. It took Dave and one of the workers about 15 minutes to get enough juice to it to start it up. Finally on our way home, we were anxious to see if Reese was waiting for us.
We again went the long way so we could do one more check. We found her. She was directly outside the hole she had managed to get out of. Unfortunatley, she never made it back in. She had been hit by a car and was dead on the side of the road.
2:30 am last night was when we buried our dog. This sux. Why can't we just get a break!?!