I originially started this blog to record my experiences studying Shakespeare in England, and since then, the blog has gone in many directions: poetry, fitness, our lives in TN, books, food...but I honestly thought that what this blog would mostly discuss are my reflections on teaching, on literature, on the changing nature of education and my search to discern how to teach literature--and teach students--thoughtfully, responsibly, and enthusiastically. Friday was a day that reminded me of this original aim and desire.
Elizabeth Samet, author of A Soldier's Heart: Reading Literature Through Peace and War at West Point, visited our school. Our senior literary society had the opportunity to converse with her over lunch prior to her lecture, so I was able to hear her perspective on teaching English to plebes and her approach to writing. Perhaps the comment I most appreciated was her response to the question, "What led you to write this book?" She said something along the lines of "I found I had a story to tell. Writing is much easier when you have a story to tell." So true. Sometimes even when writing this blog, I find I have little to "report"--and then some days, like today, I have so many thoughts and reflections that I want to record.
I love teaching. I love learning. I love my students. I love talking about literature and the art of writing with my students and my colleagues. I love working in an academic setting. I love meeting with my peers to discuss how we can better serve students. I love reading. I do not love grading, but every once in awhile, an essay rises to the surface that makes you think a student really got it. I love having my summers "off" to work on my craft. I love having the rest of the breaks to be with my family and enjoy them for an extended amount of time. I love that my days are broken into 49 minute periods. I love that I have time to exercise to my potential every day. I love that I spend most of my day on my feet. I love that I have dedicated myself to a profession where I will never be perfect and will always be reminded that I don't know it all or can't do it all or won't reach every student. There is always more to strive for.
Here's what I don't love about teaching: the parents. I said it. 99% of the time, I interact with parents who are kind and thoughtful and encouraging and helpful. But there is always the 1% out there who, even when I try not to let them get me down, are discouraging and sometimes downright disrespectful. Just this morning I got an email from a parent who blames me for her child's desire to not be in AP English next year. The email was curt and accusatory and, even though I know this parent to be uncommonly critical, it hurt.
I wish that our world could be more graceful. I wish that people could give each other the benefit of the doubt more often, be more generous in spirit, not expect perfection quite so much. I wish we could all trust each other a little more to do the right thing. I wish we could work together more to get where we want instead of trying to tear each other down quite so often. I wish people would take more time for reflection and less time for reaction. I wish we would listen more and talk less. I wish we could all see each other as gifts, as people who have unique talents and something to contribute. and I wish we could focus on those contributions, celebrate those, rather than harping on where we all fall short.
Thoughts like these remind me what type of a teacher, what type of a person, I want to be. I can't get around the fact that our system requires me to give grades or write comments on papers that could very easily be interpreted as criticism. I realize that my job, based as it is in inspiration and a joy of knowledge, contains elements that could enable me to be a negative force in a child's life. I hope to God that I never play that role. and I hope that most people realize that no teacher wants or intends to play that role. We didn't get into teaching to discourage talent. We got into it because we hoped we might inspire. May I always walk into my classroom with this aim in mind, and may I remember to show the grace and love to my students that I so long for from others in my life.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Book Update!
This past weekend, Clay and I enjoyed some glorious downtime, so I read and read and read. Finally finished The Power of One. The story of Peekay and his journey to understanding and a true sense of identity was enjoyable, but I honestly didn't get why two of my closest Bread Loaf friends said it was their favorite novel of all time. It was 540 pages of the both beauty and difficulty of human interaction--and the story of a young boy's dream to become the welterweight (boxing) champion of the world in the midst of a world of adults who both inspired him and tried to redirect this dream. What's kinda funny is that Camden got ahold of my copy of the book and tore out the last two pages...I was disappointed at first, but honestly, by the time I got to those missing pages, I was actually kind of relieved that I was done!
I then moved on to a fast read: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. This is GPS's faculty book club choice for the spring. It is the story of a columnist who publishes her first collection of columns about WWII--and this leads her to discover an undercover book club on a remote island named Guernsey in which the members meet at first to enjoy banned treats during the war--and bring books as their "cover." Before long, though, they actually start reading and enjoying these books, and then together they reach out to the English columnist narrator who desperately needs a reminder why people write in the first place. I finished it quickly--the letter format of the novel makes it fly by. I recommend it if you are looking for a relaxing, thoughtful story!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
More Poetry
Optimism
by Jane Hirshfield
More and more I have come to admire resilience.
Not the simple resistance of a pillow, whose foam returns over and
over to the same shape, but the sinuous tenacity of a tree: finding the
light newly blocked on one side,
it turns in another.
A blind intelligence, true.But out of such persistence arose turtles, rivers, mitochondria, figs—
all this resinous, unretractable earth.
by Jane Hirshfield
More and more I have come to admire resilience.
Not the simple resistance of a pillow, whose foam returns over and
over to the same shape, but the sinuous tenacity of a tree: finding the
light newly blocked on one side,
it turns in another.
A blind intelligence, true.But out of such persistence arose turtles, rivers, mitochondria, figs—
all this resinous, unretractable earth.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Getting Disciplined
I don't know what to make of it, but lately I have been craving discipline and focus in my life. I find myself thinking of goals--financial, intellectual, athletic, nutritional--all the time. Anyways, one of my goals is save enough money so that we can buy a new car. Whether we can afford the black Honda Pilot I have been crushing on remains to be seen, but regardless, my Honda Accord is 12 years old, 130,000 miles in, and a bit bruised and battered. It still runs like a dream, so we are in no rush, but eventually we will need (and yes, I confess, want) to get a car that is a little more...new.
Our goal was to try to be in a place where a new car was possible by the end of the summer. Regardless of whether or not it happened, I like having something in my mind to save for. However, between taxes and some unanticipated dental work (not to mention the tough market right now), what we had saved for the car was quickly redirected. Bummer, but hey, life happens. I just kept telling myself that I would try to be financially savvy and look for ways to save when I could--you know, do the best we can.
One such option was presented to me just yesterday. The head of our IT department visited my classroom to inform me that the school had overlooked the leasing option for my laptop and thus I would need to pay for the computer in full now or start a significant payment plan--or I could turn in my laptop, get a desktop instead, and owe nothing. Ok, Sara, its time to put your money where your mouth is. I say goodbye to my laptop next week. But I am saving $35/month for the next four years. I don't know exactly why, but that decision felt really good.
Our goal was to try to be in a place where a new car was possible by the end of the summer. Regardless of whether or not it happened, I like having something in my mind to save for. However, between taxes and some unanticipated dental work (not to mention the tough market right now), what we had saved for the car was quickly redirected. Bummer, but hey, life happens. I just kept telling myself that I would try to be financially savvy and look for ways to save when I could--you know, do the best we can.
One such option was presented to me just yesterday. The head of our IT department visited my classroom to inform me that the school had overlooked the leasing option for my laptop and thus I would need to pay for the computer in full now or start a significant payment plan--or I could turn in my laptop, get a desktop instead, and owe nothing. Ok, Sara, its time to put your money where your mouth is. I say goodbye to my laptop next week. But I am saving $35/month for the next four years. I don't know exactly why, but that decision felt really good.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Winterim Week
Tuesday found us at the start of Winterim, our schools' fall break. I headed to Sharp Top Cove, a stunningly beautiful Young Life Camp, for 48 hours with 14 eighth graders and four other chaperones and their families. The experience revealed a few things to me:
1.) I never want to go back to 8th grade. NEVER.
2.) You CAN eat too many graham crackers (my attempt to be healthy on this trip full of raw cookie dough, coffee cakes, and chocolate chip pancakes).
3.) I am glad I was a dorm parent to eighth grade girls at Saint James when I was young and single...because I don't know if I could do it now. God bless dorm parents.
4.) 2 days without exercise drives me crazy.
5.) People have incredible stories. I loved listening to the other chaperones tell their life "stories" about growing up in Venezuela or learning how to "weather a storm"...I talked about the dynamic and crucial role that people have played in my life, specifically in terms of my faith journey, and how I see God in other people. I definitely saw God in these girls during these couple of days, and thus I am glad I went, but I also came home exhausted.
Poor Clay has been pretty sick this week, so he has taken advantage of the days off to try to get well. Friday and Saturday were glorious days of relaxation, good workouts, and long walks with Camden. I woke Clay up on Saturday with heart-shaped pancakes--and he surprised me with two pairs of shoes that he picked out himself! He noticed that my shoe collection has been dwindling thanks to the fact that they are Camden's favorite chew toys, so now I have a hot pair of black heels and a fun pair of white sandals for summer. Awesome. He is the best. I gave Clay a new leather cover for his car's gear shift (it fell off a couple of years ago and we never replaced it). Really romantic, huh? But it was something practical that he wouldn't buy for himself, which was the rule we followed this gift-giving time around.
We met our dear friends Kat and Nate for dinner on Valentine's at Canyon Grill on Lookout Mountain. YUM! We had so much fun celebrating with them. Check out Clay's dinner: the famous catfish!
Sunday School went well again this morning (today's topic was on conflict and war; last week was love) and then we geared up for our third dinner party in just about as many weeks. This one, thankfully, was the smoothest one of all in terms of preparation and execution. I just hate being in the kitchen the whole time we have guests over, so Clay and I chopped and prepped as much as we could ahead of time so that I wouldn't be quite as flustered when it came time to making the dinner. Tonight we started with baguette and brie, mixed nuts, and homemade hummus and pita chips; lime and honey marinated salmon over a bed of corn, black bean, red pepper, spinach, and mango salsa with roasted new potatoes on the side; and then our favorite plum, pear, and blueberry crisp (thanks, Ina Garten!) for dessert. We had a great time with John, Susan, Tim, and Melanie--we love having people over!
I have to go back to work tomorrow for an in-service tech day, but Clay gets one more day off before the boys come back, so here's hoping that he continues to feel better.
We love you all!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Ali's Fun Visit!
It was so great to have my best childhood friend, Ali, in town with us this past weekend. Ali lives in Birmingham, and she was so sweet to make the 2 hour trip over to hang out with us for 24 hours. We started our hang out time together on the top of Signal Mountain. It was SUCH a gorgeous day that we had to spend some good time outside...so we took Camden for a hike and got to really catch up with Ali. She always amazes me with her "togetherness"--she is always up on the latest everything, so I love hearing what she has been learning and experiencing in Birmingham. She is always so fun and interesting to talk to--about everything!
We then gave her a mini-tour of North Chattanooga, taking her past GPS and our cute yellow house that we lived in last year. We then went out to Tony's Italian Restuarant in the Bluff View Art District (the first restaurant that Clay and I went to--with Mom and Dad!--when we moved to Chattanooga). We then stopped by The Terminal for a drink before crashing for the night. Sunday brought our Sunday School class (which had an interesting discussion on love) and a second trip to Greenlife, my favorite grocery store in town. We were able to whip up another batch of granola bars (I'm telling you, I'm obsessed) before she hit the road. Ali, thank you so much for coming to Chattaboogie to visit us! We can't wait until our next trip to Birmingham! You are wonderful--so special to both of us (actually all three of us--Camden is sad that you are gone, too. He was also really freaked out on the bridge in the picture below--it was pretty funny!).
Poem for a Monday
A dear colleague sends me poems randomly, and this is one that she passed along...the more I read it, the more I love it. Happy Monday!
The Continuous Life
by Mark Strand
What of the neighborhood homes awash
In a silver light, of children hunched in the bushes,
Watching the grown-ups for signs of surrender,
Signs that the irregular pleasures of moving
From day to day, of being adrift on the swell of duty,
Have run their course? O parents, confess
To your little ones the night is a long way off
And your taste for the mundane grows; tell them
Your worship of household chores has barely begun;
Describe the beauty of shovels and rakes, brooms and mops;
Say there will always be cooking and cleaning to do,
That one thing leads to another, which leads to another;
Explain that you live between two great darks, the first
With an ending, the second without one, that the luckiest
Thing is having been born, that you live in a blur
Of hours and days, months and years, and believe
It has meaning, despite the occasional fear
You are slipping away with nothing completed, nothing
To prove you existed. Tell the children to come inside,
That your search goes on for something you lost—a name,
A family album that fell from its own small matter
Into another, a piece of the dark that might have been yours,
You don't really know. Say that each of you tries
To keep busy, learning to lean down close and hear
The careless breathing of earth and feel its available
Languor come over you, wave after wave, sending
Small tremors of love through your brief,
Undeniable selves, into your days, and beyond.
The Continuous Life
by Mark Strand
What of the neighborhood homes awash
In a silver light, of children hunched in the bushes,
Watching the grown-ups for signs of surrender,
Signs that the irregular pleasures of moving
From day to day, of being adrift on the swell of duty,
Have run their course? O parents, confess
To your little ones the night is a long way off
And your taste for the mundane grows; tell them
Your worship of household chores has barely begun;
Describe the beauty of shovels and rakes, brooms and mops;
Say there will always be cooking and cleaning to do,
That one thing leads to another, which leads to another;
Explain that you live between two great darks, the first
With an ending, the second without one, that the luckiest
Thing is having been born, that you live in a blur
Of hours and days, months and years, and believe
It has meaning, despite the occasional fear
You are slipping away with nothing completed, nothing
To prove you existed. Tell the children to come inside,
That your search goes on for something you lost—a name,
A family album that fell from its own small matter
Into another, a piece of the dark that might have been yours,
You don't really know. Say that each of you tries
To keep busy, learning to lean down close and hear
The careless breathing of earth and feel its available
Languor come over you, wave after wave, sending
Small tremors of love through your brief,
Undeniable selves, into your days, and beyond.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Yummy Granola Bar Recipe!
(courtesy of The Runner's Cookbook: Winning Recipes from some of the World's Best Athletes)
NATURAL ENERGY BARS
Ingredients:
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 oz. container vanilla or fruit-flavored low-fat yogurt
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. vegetable oil (I use applesauce and they still taste great!)
2 tbsp. skim milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use whole-wheat flour)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups uncooked oats (either quick or old-fashioned)
1 cup diced dried mixed fruit, raisins, or craisins
1/2 mixed nuts
2 tbsp. flaxseed (optional)
1 tsp. ground ginger (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine both sugars, yogurt, beaten egg whites, oil/applesauce, milk, and vanilla extract; mix well.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, flaxseed (optional), and ginger (optional); mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the large bowl; mix well.
4. Stir in oats, dried fruit, and mixed nuts.
5. Spread the dough onto the bottom of an ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan.
6. Bake for 25-32 minutes, or until bars are light brown and a knife placed in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool before cutting into bars. Enjoy!
NATURAL ENERGY BARS
Ingredients:
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 oz. container vanilla or fruit-flavored low-fat yogurt
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. vegetable oil (I use applesauce and they still taste great!)
2 tbsp. skim milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use whole-wheat flour)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups uncooked oats (either quick or old-fashioned)
1 cup diced dried mixed fruit, raisins, or craisins
1/2 mixed nuts
2 tbsp. flaxseed (optional)
1 tsp. ground ginger (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine both sugars, yogurt, beaten egg whites, oil/applesauce, milk, and vanilla extract; mix well.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, flaxseed (optional), and ginger (optional); mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the large bowl; mix well.
4. Stir in oats, dried fruit, and mixed nuts.
5. Spread the dough onto the bottom of an ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan.
6. Bake for 25-32 minutes, or until bars are light brown and a knife placed in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool before cutting into bars. Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
One of Sara's Favorite Poems
How to be a Poet
by Wendell Berry
(to remind myself)
i
Make a place to sit down.
Sit down. Be quiet.
You must depend upon
affection, reading, knowledge,
skill—more of each
than you have—inspiration,
work, growing older, patience,
for patience joins time
to eternity. Any readers
who like your poems,
doubt their judgment.
ii
Breathe with unconditional breath
the unconditioned air.
Shun electric wire.
Communicate slowly. Live
a three-dimensioned life;
stay away from screens.
Stay away from anything
that obscures the place it is in.
There are no unsacred places;
there are only sacred places
and desecrated places.
iii
Accept what comes from silence.
Make the best you can of it.
Of the little words that come
out of the silence, like prayers
prayed back to the one who prays,
make a poem that does not disturb
the silence from which it came.
by Wendell Berry
(to remind myself)
i
Make a place to sit down.
Sit down. Be quiet.
You must depend upon
affection, reading, knowledge,
skill—more of each
than you have—inspiration,
work, growing older, patience,
for patience joins time
to eternity. Any readers
who like your poems,
doubt their judgment.
ii
Breathe with unconditional breath
the unconditioned air.
Shun electric wire.
Communicate slowly. Live
a three-dimensioned life;
stay away from screens.
Stay away from anything
that obscures the place it is in.
There are no unsacred places;
there are only sacred places
and desecrated places.
iii
Accept what comes from silence.
Make the best you can of it.
Of the little words that come
out of the silence, like prayers
prayed back to the one who prays,
make a poem that does not disturb
the silence from which it came.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Shout out to Dad
My dad might be the most patient person on earth. My mom definitely gives him a run for the money, though. Anyways, Dad is the king of lists, which might be one reason why I love reading and making them so much myself. He inspires me. He is quite definitely also the reason I fell in love with the English language, with the written word, with the art of teaching. My dad is a lawyer, but he could easily be an English teacher if he wanted--and a darn good one at that. He loves literature and he loves people (and I am convinced that simple combination is a lot of what it ultimately takes to be an inspiring English teacher). Dad often sends me and Clay fun lists of his "favorites"--favorite movies, favorite books, favorite quotes, etc.
Over the next few days, I will be posting some of our favorites, starting with Clay's favorite poems. Thanks for inspiring us, Dad.
Meditation at Lagunitas
by Robert Hass
All the new thinking is about loss.
In this it resembles all the old thinking.
The idea, for example, that each particular erases
the luminous clarity of a general idea. That the clown-
faced woodpecker probing the dead sculpted trunk
of that black birch is, by his presence,
some tragic falling off from a first world
of undivided light. Or the other notion that,
because there is in this world no one thing
to which the bramble of blackberry corresponds,
a word is elegy to what it signifies.
We talked about it late last night and in the voice
of my friend, there was a thin wire of grief, a tone
almost querulous. After a while I understood that,
talking this way, everything dissolves: justice,
pine, hair, woman, you and I. There was a woman
I made love to and I remembered how, holding
her small shoulders in my hands sometimes,
I felt a violent wonder at her presence
like a thirst for salt, for my childhood river
with its island willows, silly music from the pleasure boat,
muddy places where we caught the little orange-silver fish
called pumpkinseed. It hardly had to do with her.
Longing, we say, because desire is full
of endless distances. I must have been the same to her.
But I remember so much, the way her hands dismantled bread,
the thing her father said that hurt her, what
she dreamed. There are moments when the body is as numinous
as words, days that are the good flesh continuing.
Such tenderness, those afternoons and evenings,
saying blackberry, blackberry, blackberry.
Over the next few days, I will be posting some of our favorites, starting with Clay's favorite poems. Thanks for inspiring us, Dad.
Meditation at Lagunitas
by Robert Hass
All the new thinking is about loss.
In this it resembles all the old thinking.
The idea, for example, that each particular erases
the luminous clarity of a general idea. That the clown-
faced woodpecker probing the dead sculpted trunk
of that black birch is, by his presence,
some tragic falling off from a first world
of undivided light. Or the other notion that,
because there is in this world no one thing
to which the bramble of blackberry corresponds,
a word is elegy to what it signifies.
We talked about it late last night and in the voice
of my friend, there was a thin wire of grief, a tone
almost querulous. After a while I understood that,
talking this way, everything dissolves: justice,
pine, hair, woman, you and I. There was a woman
I made love to and I remembered how, holding
her small shoulders in my hands sometimes,
I felt a violent wonder at her presence
like a thirst for salt, for my childhood river
with its island willows, silly music from the pleasure boat,
muddy places where we caught the little orange-silver fish
called pumpkinseed. It hardly had to do with her.
Longing, we say, because desire is full
of endless distances. I must have been the same to her.
But I remember so much, the way her hands dismantled bread,
the thing her father said that hurt her, what
she dreamed. There are moments when the body is as numinous
as words, days that are the good flesh continuing.
Such tenderness, those afternoons and evenings,
saying blackberry, blackberry, blackberry.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
25 Random Things...
As many of you know, there is this new phenomenon sweeping Facebook called "25 Random Things." Basically, people are encouraged to write and post 25 Random Things (makes sense, huh?) about themselves and then tag 25 people, who will then read them and hopefully write their own. So in the spirit of fun lists (which I LOVE), here are 25 Things about life in Chattaboogie since our last post:
1. Today is Catherine Grace's birthday--Happy Birthday!
2. Tonight we went over to our friend Kat and Nate's house for dinner. I was reminded how much dinner at someone's home, a good glass of wine, and laughter can make me feel so relaxed and content. Oh yeah, it helps when the host is a chef, too.
3. We had Clay's advisees over to make chili for a Chili-Cook-Off between all of the advisee groups on Campus. Our boys came in 5th out of 10. Not bad...but we already have our sights on next year.
4. We love Mad Men. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" was funny but also pretty forgettable.
5. Camden ate earphones #4. Sara got mad. Camden looked cute. Sara forgot about the earphones.
6. I decided I want to needlepoint something this year.
7. Our Sunday School Class is going really well so far this semester! Let's pray that it holds on over the next 12 or so weeks. Tomorrow's theme is "Listening and Contemplation." I have been trying to listen to my own voice a little more this week, the voices of my students, and the voice of God. Reading Frederick Buechner's work has helped direct my reflections. Am I feeling especially inspired and faithful lately? No. I love our Sunday School class and our church, but I am not sure if I am being challenged and guided spiritually in a way that guides my thoughts and actions. But at the same time, I am constantly reminded that it is not all about me and what I need. So I am trying to read and pray more on my own, listen more if you will. Check out Buechner here: http://http://www.amazon.com/Listening-Your-Life-Meditations-Frederick/dp/0060698640/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233469672&sr=8-2
8. My students are now writing Inauguration Poems--and they are pretty good. I will post a few in my next post. It is pretty neat to see what they would say about this moment that we are living in today. They also wrote letters to Obama. They were also good, but perhaps not as good as the ones in here: http://www.amazon.com/Thanks-Have-Fun-Running-Country/dp/1934781576/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233467738&sr=8-1
9. One last entry about books: Ernest Hemingway once said that his best story was told in only 6 words: "For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn." Sad. There are a couple new books out that challenge people to write their own six word stories: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061713716/ref=s9_subs_c2_s1_p14_t2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=04DGQRBJBQ21P2HAR9N9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463383371&pf_rd_i=507846
10. Heard poet Billy Collins last week. Funny funny guy. And an impressive poet.
11. Volunteered at the Community Kitchen this morning--and moved over 500 (literally) 12-packs of Tropicana Grape Juice. A few burst. I don't really want to drink "Chemical Grape" ever. Yuck.
12. Bought tickets to CALIFORNIA to see Mary and Jamie!!! AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!! We can't wait to hang out with them, see their new digs (although not really new to them anymore), and tour some vineyards. How many more days until Spring Break?
13. Lots of running. Some yoga. Always wish there was more yoga.
14. Clay and I had lots of QT with our dentist this week. Sara=6 cavities filled (??). Clay=needs impact on front tooth to the sound of $4000. I hate going to the dentist.
15. Made several more batches of granola bars. I am addicted. Let me know if you want the recipe.
16. Baked a Super Bowl Football Stadium cake for our Super Bowl get together with friends tomorrow night. Thank you, Gege, for that wedding gift!
17. Ali is coming to visit this weekend! Wahoo!
18. Soccer for Clay starts on Monday--the joy of relaxing afternoons is replaced by practice for the next few months. Track starts for me first week of March.
19. My parents (and the rest of Kentucky) got hit with a major ice storm, knocking out their power this week. Thankfully, their power came back on within 24 hours, but many people aren't as lucky...stay warm, Kentucky.
20. Lashelle Chappell gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy! Hayston Davis Chappell. Awesome. Check out her photography blog for photos: http://www.lashellechappellphotography.blogspot.com/
21. Only one more week until Winterim 2009...theoretically our Winter Break, but somehow that means Sara travels to Sharp Top (a Young Life camp) with 15 8th graders for 48 hours while Clay gets to stay at home. Hmmm...
22. Graded a LOT of papers this week. That's the main reason the blog has been neglected for the past 10 days. Sorry, team.
23. Didn't take a whole lot of pictures. Correction. Didn't take ANY pictures. Sara resolves to take more pictures.
24. Found and bought $15 green high heels on the sale rack today while shopping for new black heels (Camden continues to destroy my shoe collection, when they are placed up high. He is now climbing on top of major furniture. No joke. Our beagle puppy is an acrobat.) I was inspired by Michelle Obama.
25. Felt blessed at multiple times these past few days to have such sweet friends and family in my life.
1. Today is Catherine Grace's birthday--Happy Birthday!
2. Tonight we went over to our friend Kat and Nate's house for dinner. I was reminded how much dinner at someone's home, a good glass of wine, and laughter can make me feel so relaxed and content. Oh yeah, it helps when the host is a chef, too.
3. We had Clay's advisees over to make chili for a Chili-Cook-Off between all of the advisee groups on Campus. Our boys came in 5th out of 10. Not bad...but we already have our sights on next year.
4. We love Mad Men. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" was funny but also pretty forgettable.
5. Camden ate earphones #4. Sara got mad. Camden looked cute. Sara forgot about the earphones.
6. I decided I want to needlepoint something this year.
7. Our Sunday School Class is going really well so far this semester! Let's pray that it holds on over the next 12 or so weeks. Tomorrow's theme is "Listening and Contemplation." I have been trying to listen to my own voice a little more this week, the voices of my students, and the voice of God. Reading Frederick Buechner's work has helped direct my reflections. Am I feeling especially inspired and faithful lately? No. I love our Sunday School class and our church, but I am not sure if I am being challenged and guided spiritually in a way that guides my thoughts and actions. But at the same time, I am constantly reminded that it is not all about me and what I need. So I am trying to read and pray more on my own, listen more if you will. Check out Buechner here: http://http://www.amazon.com/Listening-Your-Life-Meditations-Frederick/dp/0060698640/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233469672&sr=8-2
8. My students are now writing Inauguration Poems--and they are pretty good. I will post a few in my next post. It is pretty neat to see what they would say about this moment that we are living in today. They also wrote letters to Obama. They were also good, but perhaps not as good as the ones in here: http://www.amazon.com/Thanks-Have-Fun-Running-Country/dp/1934781576/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233467738&sr=8-1
9. One last entry about books: Ernest Hemingway once said that his best story was told in only 6 words: "For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn." Sad. There are a couple new books out that challenge people to write their own six word stories: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061713716/ref=s9_subs_c2_s1_p14_t2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=04DGQRBJBQ21P2HAR9N9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463383371&pf_rd_i=507846
10. Heard poet Billy Collins last week. Funny funny guy. And an impressive poet.
11. Volunteered at the Community Kitchen this morning--and moved over 500 (literally) 12-packs of Tropicana Grape Juice. A few burst. I don't really want to drink "Chemical Grape" ever. Yuck.
12. Bought tickets to CALIFORNIA to see Mary and Jamie!!! AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!! We can't wait to hang out with them, see their new digs (although not really new to them anymore), and tour some vineyards. How many more days until Spring Break?
13. Lots of running. Some yoga. Always wish there was more yoga.
14. Clay and I had lots of QT with our dentist this week. Sara=6 cavities filled (??). Clay=needs impact on front tooth to the sound of $4000. I hate going to the dentist.
15. Made several more batches of granola bars. I am addicted. Let me know if you want the recipe.
16. Baked a Super Bowl Football Stadium cake for our Super Bowl get together with friends tomorrow night. Thank you, Gege, for that wedding gift!
17. Ali is coming to visit this weekend! Wahoo!
18. Soccer for Clay starts on Monday--the joy of relaxing afternoons is replaced by practice for the next few months. Track starts for me first week of March.
19. My parents (and the rest of Kentucky) got hit with a major ice storm, knocking out their power this week. Thankfully, their power came back on within 24 hours, but many people aren't as lucky...stay warm, Kentucky.
20. Lashelle Chappell gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy! Hayston Davis Chappell. Awesome. Check out her photography blog for photos: http://www.lashellechappellphotography.blogspot.com/
21. Only one more week until Winterim 2009...theoretically our Winter Break, but somehow that means Sara travels to Sharp Top (a Young Life camp) with 15 8th graders for 48 hours while Clay gets to stay at home. Hmmm...
22. Graded a LOT of papers this week. That's the main reason the blog has been neglected for the past 10 days. Sorry, team.
23. Didn't take a whole lot of pictures. Correction. Didn't take ANY pictures. Sara resolves to take more pictures.
24. Found and bought $15 green high heels on the sale rack today while shopping for new black heels (Camden continues to destroy my shoe collection, when they are placed up high. He is now climbing on top of major furniture. No joke. Our beagle puppy is an acrobat.) I was inspired by Michelle Obama.
25. Felt blessed at multiple times these past few days to have such sweet friends and family in my life.
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