I love technology

(ha, after I wrote that title I just thought of the song Kip sings on Napoleon Dynamite)

But yes, I love technology because, this is what I saw first thing on my screen when I was skyping (can I really make that a verb? oh well, just did) with my sister Beth last Sunday

that's right, I'm going to have another new niece or nephew coming soon! Both my sisters are prego right now. Andrea's due in February and Beth is due in April. Andrea & AJ find out what they are having in just a couple weeks and Beth & Tom say they're holding out to find out until the baby is born. We'll see if they make it. Yay, for new babies!

Random

(I wish I had this, but let's be practical here, it probably wouldn't have as many heels... just doesn't make sense when you have to chase after little kiddos at school everyday)

For those of you that know me (and let's be honest probably the only people that read this are people that know me), you know that I love shoes. And I'll be quite frank, my shoes aren't necessarily the most posh or expensive shoes but I love them nonetheless... especially when I get them for a good deal, which is probably why I have so many. I can't resist a great bargain (and cute shoes). There are some shoes that I probably wear at least once a week and others that I've maybe worn at most 3 times. And though I have many shoes in my closet right now (I counted over 50 pairs-- and that's not including all my boots that are down the hall in a different closet), I have been very limited on what I can wear lately.

This random tangent came up because today I was wishing so badly that I could wear a cute pair of red heels to church today. Instead I have been wearing this beautiful thing (luckily without the hideous sock)

on my left foot for the last 2 months. But I guess it could have been worse, I could have had to wear this
Oh wait... I have had to wear one of those back in high school. Anyway moving on. . .

Point of the story-- I miss wearing all my cute shoes. And even more than that, I miss wearing TWO shoes (that match). I have to be selective about what shoe (notice it's not plural) I wear because 1- my really expensive and attractive shoe on the left makes me walk lopsided and therefore make my hips hurt if I wear a shoe that is either too flat or taller than my bootie-shoe and 2- I don't want to wear out every right shoe that I own so I try to limit the ones I'm wearing out to the same few pairs (I figure I'll wear the left one out next summer when I get my other foot done and then probably then just chuck them).

And sadly, though both my feet have not necessarily been in walking order for the last 2 months, it has not kept me from buying shoes. I'm hoping to wear the complete sets soon.

I got the the okay from doc to start walking this past Monday and he said I can try wearing regular shoes but sadly my foot is still too swollen and the shoes I have been given permission to wear have to be very supportive which basically leaves my running shoes, not necessarily the best shoes to go with my work outfits. I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel though (at least the light that will last about 8 months until I get to go through this again ;) So yeah, basically I miss wearing cute shoes.

Other things that I've really been missing in the last couple months:

-wearing TWO shoes

-not walking like a gimp or as my dad referred to it- like I was walking like my grandma, who used to waddle, before she got her knees replaces

-being able to run up the stairs

-being able to run. period.

-working out/going to the gym

-my independence (not having to ask people to carry things for me or do things for me)

-not feeling like I need someone go with me to the gas station or grocery store

-not having things take twice as long to do or to walk places

-walking long distances

-sleeping any way I want, rather than worrying about whether or not my foot is elevated

-being able to do all the fun things my friends and family are doing (camping, hiking, swimming, fourwheeling, boating, concerts, etc)

-not having to worry about people or things accidentally bumping into my foot wherever I go

-basically, being able to go and do whatever I want, whenever I want

This kind of came across as a "downer" post but that's not how I meant it at all and am actually quite happy right now. I mostly just wrote things down as a reflection and as a way for me to remember these things I've thought over the last couple months

What it's all about

I was sitting in my new ward in sacrament meeting today and we had a man from the stake and his wife come and talk to us. Before they got up their adorable daughter with Down syndrome got up and gave her "talk." She's in 5th grade and she had written it all by herself. It was one of the sweetest things ever. And then her mom got up after and spoke about her love for her daughter and what a joy and a blessing she is in their life, even though when she was first born and they found out she had Down syndrome and they thought it would be a very trying thing their life. Her talk was mostly about the hard times in our lives and how much we have going on in our lives right now but not to give up hope and faith. She kept tying things in about her cute, sweet daughter. I of course starting crying. There I was in the middle of sacrament meeting in a new ward, where I basically know no one, crying my eyes out. I bet I looked like a crazy person but I don't care because it just really hit me and made me so grateful for the amazing job I have and the amazing children I get to work with everyday. I really needed that little reminder and pick me up. I've been loving my new job but it's also been kind of tough and stressful- just trying to get everything that goes with a new school year worked out and running smoothly can make you go a little crazy. Seeing that sweet girl and her mom was exactly what I needed today, to get me energized for a new week and to help me remember what it's all about. It doesn't matter that my room is still not organized exactly how I want it, or that I feel like I constantly have so much to do, or that I'm not pleasing every parent every second of everyday. All that matters is that we're helping those children grow and progress and most the time they do more for me than I probably do for them. I love those little tender mercies and the things that really help us reflect on what's important in life.

What a day...

Should have known it was just going to be one of those days-and apparently for a lot of people too- when I witnessed TWO different accidents on the way to work (very thankful it wasn't me), then locked my keys in my car once I got there (thank heavens for AAA!), then accidently spilled water water on my new phone which made the screen go all wacky (thank goodness for Debbie and her bag full of rice trick), and then saw 3 more accidents on the way home from work (once again thankful it wasn't me). I'm glad there's a long weekend coming up and that I still have a lot to be thankful for.

Kinda freaking out

So school starts tomorrow and yes, I'm kind of freaking out. I feel so unprepared even thought it's my 2nd year teaching (but it is at a different school) and even after spending 11 hours at the school yesterday and 12 hours today (and many others before that). There's something about having my foot busted and on moving my classroom on a scooter (yes... I did finally get my "scooter"- I will post pictures later, maybe when I actually have a life again- if that ever happens) that seriously seems to take twice as long. I have had so much help from my mom, my paras, and other teachers when they have a little time to spare which has seriously helped SOOOO much but there is still so much that seems to need to get done. I just can't think about it any more or else I don't think I'll end up going to sleep. But I will say this... I'm really only freaking out about the planning/time consuming crap that really is all the "fluff" in teaching. I am beyond exciting to start teaching my cute kiddos. I've already met about 1/2 of my students and I know I'm going to love this year. There were 2 boys that came in to meet me today and seriously, I'm already in love. They already have my heart and I know it's going to be a great year. I seriously have the best job ever (minus all the lame special ed. paper work) and could not think of anything else I would rather do everyday then spend my time with these precious children. I feel so lucky to get to do what I do. I think I needed that little reminder. It really is all about the kids. I know tomorrow will be fine. I have amazing paras and co-workers. Just one day at a time.

p.s. I just realized how many parenthesis ( ) I have in this post... just goes to show how all over the place my brain is right now cause I have so many different thoughts going on a the same time.

one of my favorite places on earth

Provo Canyon. That's right. I mean, look at this place- it's gorgeous. I've always thought it was super pretty but within the last 8 months or so (since my parents bought their place up in Midway) I've driven that canyon thousands of time (okay, maybe not thousands, but you get the idea) and I've grown to love it even more. There's something about about those huge rocky mountains, waterfalls, trees, and actually the windy road that make it seriously one of my favorite places on earth. It makes me so happy. And it is one of the best places to just "go on a drive." Please go and enjoy it sometime. Best times to see it are either during fall while the leaves are changing or right after spring has hit and everything is super green. Oh, and winter I guess is nice too. What can I say? I just love it.

Confession: Guilty Pleasure...

*NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. That's right. There's something about these boy bands that will forever have my heart. Backstreet Boys was the first concert I ever attended and Millennium was the first CD I bought with my own money (my first CD ever was Hanson... but that's another story). My love for *NSYNC came a short while later (and I also attended that concert) but don't worry, the love was just as strong if not even a little stronger.

So why this random blast from the past? Yesterday I was driving when "The Two Of Us" from this wonderful album

came on while I was listening to my iPod on shuffle. This spurred something in me that made me want to listen to the entire album . . . so that's what I did of course. It made me so happy. And the best part... even after years of not listening to this album I remembered every word, mmmmhuh, oooooh yeah, 2 Step!, and so, so much more. And even as I'm writing this

Brooke and I are listening to more NSYNC songs and once again not missing a single word or beat and laughing all the while. We were discussing how funny it is that we can even remember every little word and phrase in the background as if we were back in jr. high again. She pointed out though, that if we wanted to, we probably wouldn't be able to just start singing the song out of nowhere on our own but once the music starts going... there's no stopping it. We jam out and sing every ever word.

The first time I ever experienced this great phenomenon was about our first week in Romania

where we went on a little day trip to see some monasteries traveling in group of 3 taxis driven by some of our facilitator's family friends. Mario (our Romanian facilitator), Candice, Whitney and I got to ride with our driver in this great thing. While about all of our group of 12 had iPods at this time, Whitney still was carrying around her wonderful Walkman. And if you have a Walkman, what do you need? CDs of course! So while all of us took our iPods on this little day excursion Whitney drug around a little bag with her all her CDs and her Walkman. We were all kind of making fun of her at first until she asked our driver on the way home if we could listen to some of her CDs. We popped this gem into the player and started singing at the top of our lungs.

The 2 Romanian's in the car with us thought we were kind of crazy but ended up loving it and if the song was too slow and not up-beat enough, the driver would say in his Romanian accent "next!" (pretty sure the only English word he knew- cause we taught him) and skip to the next song. It was here on this trip that we renewed our love for our boy bands and didn't miss singing a word even after years of not listening to Backstreet Boys. "Backstreet's back ALL RIGHT!" We laughed the entire way home and it set the standard for the rest of our time in Romania, where we listened to even more Backstreet Boys and NSYNC.

For all you other boyband lovers... go watch some YouTube videos of their songs. I guarantee it will make you very happy and brighten your entire day. Go do it, I dare you.