Picnic Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Picnic Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Lost Job

No, my job is not lost in the sense that I cannot find it. It is lost in the sense that I will no longer be teaching at my school next year.

Humans are interesting. We see the world around us and notice the struggles of others, but it isn't until tragedy hits home that we really feel it. Today, I really feel the effects of our poor economy. Today I feel the effects of the lack of support by politicians for education. Today I feel alone.

I won't go into details about my situation, but the German program at my high school is being down-sized. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to find a job elsewhere in the district (there is ONE lead... please keep me in your prayers!) and it's looking like I'll be able to go back and teach German again one year from now when my coworker retires. Either way, the nature of the whole situation and the way it has been handled leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I must constantly remind myself to be positive. I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me in the past and He will bless me again. I know that there is much I can learn from this situation. I pray for the strength and faith necessary to endure this trial and to grow because of it.

All I can really say is that being a teacher is hard work. Sometimes I can't believe the lack of support for people who are so selfless and giving. Teachers definitely aren't in it for the money. They are there because they love what they do (in most cases!) and because they want to make a difference in the lives of their students.

And yet, education is almost always the first thing that gets cut when the chips are down, when funding is still given to other things like "leashless dog parks" or sound barrier walls on I-5 in Seattle in neighborhoods that don't want them. This is my plea to you: Please support schools as best you can. Please support politicians that support education. I work hard as a teacher and to feel so unsupported in trying to better the world around me is heartbreaking. Thanks for listening. Thanks for your friendship and support. All in all, life goes on and I will be a better person and teacher for what is happening to me right now.

Asking in Humility

New post at Sarah's Scripture Study: Asking in Humility

Do, a Deer, a Female Deer...

I'm sure most people are familiar with the movie "The Sound of Music," featuring the vocal stylings of the wonderful Miss Julie Andrews herself. I'm sure, however, that you're not familiar with the video that I'm about to show you. It made me happy and I hope it makes you happy too. I hope this happens to me while I'm in Europe this summer. I would love it!

In Honor of Evan's Birthday

In leiu of Evan's recent birthday (He turned 27 on Sunday!), I'd like to say a few words about him. First off, I am very grateful that Evan was born. (He was the cutest baby with a swollen face and short, spiky hair.)

He makes me happy and he makes me laugh.


I think he understands me better than anyone else ever has. He knows just by the look on my face what I'm thinking or how I'm feeling. Sometimes this isn't always a good thing. :)




Evan is a go-getter. If he says he's going to do something, he means it! From climbing Mt. Rainier (the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states) to living in Hawaii to learning how to sail (he and his dad recently bought a catamaran), he is definitely an example to me of achieving goals and living your dreams. He makes me want to be better about getting out there and living my life to the fullest!



Humility is his middle name. Okay, not really. But, he is a humble guy. Sometimes I won't find out for weeks something nice he did to help someone else. Last week, he did something really nice for my family secretly while they were gone because he didn't want them to know he did it. He's that kind of a guy.

He helps me to better myself. He is honest with me about who I am and who I could be. Even though sometimes it is hard to hear honest words, I know that through his honesty he helps me to be the best person I can be.


Through his humility, he is a faithful guy who isn't afraid of living according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has a strong testimony. I'm so grateful to be with someone whom I love and who helps me to improve myself. Happy birthday, Evan!

MIA

Here are a few reasons I've been missing in action lately:

-Spent time with Evan's sister-in-law and brother last week. They and their 2 kids are awesome! It was great catching up with them.

-Evan's 3-day birthday extravaganza, including a birthday brunch with Evan's family, a birthday dinner with my family, and an intimate harp recital with the most reknowned harpist in the world. It was amazing. You know you're jealous.

-Evan and I have had the flu and have been throwing up for the past 2 days. You know you're not jealous about that. Thankfully, I just ate something for the first time since Sunday night, so I'm feeling a little bit better.

Other than the stomach flu, life has been going well! The 24 German exchange students my coworker and I are hosting come in about 3 1/2 weeks. In about 9 weeks, I leave to Germany for 1 month. School has been busy and the weather is warming up. How did it get to be the end of April already?! I can't believe my first year of teaching German is already almost over with. Everyone survived and my students actually know a little bit of German! :)

Twittering...

My friend, Lia, shared this video on her blog. Watch the entire thing. It's hilarious! Not only did it make me laugh, but it also prompted me to wonder... even though I don't participate in (Facebook or) Twitter, is blogging really any different? For me, I think it is. It's a way of posting my writing and catching up with friends in a more personal way than Facebook.

Easter's Reminder of the Comfort Jesus Provides

Here are some thoughts about Easter I wrote in my journal:

Today is Easter Sunday, and as such, I’d like to talk my Savior. I’m am eternally indebted and grateful for His atoning sacrifice. I know that He died for me and loves me. I listened to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s recent talk about Jesus Christ and his complete (and then some!) understanding of us because of His infinite atonement. He felt lonely and pain such that we’ll never feel. He went through so much in his short 34 years that we will NEVER have to experience. And he did it all so that we might live. He did it all for the glory of others, not for himself. It’s amazing and unfathomable to me that He gave his life for everyone around Him, save himself. “Glory be to God,” he said. He was the most selfless person that walked the earth and He invites us to partake of His atonement, to utilize that power in our lives so that we can be comforted, so that we can hope. I know that my Redeemer lives. He loves me as an individual. I thank my God for that sacrifice of His son. I know that allowing His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON to die feeling utterly alone was difficult, but He allowed it to happen because God loves us. He saw the bigger picture. He knew what the outcome would be. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for thy love, for thy care, for this atonement that provides me with hope, strength, and the gift of eternal life. I am trying my best to live up to the gift I’ve been given.

April is National Poetry Month

In honor of April being National Poetry Month, I've decided to create more poetic prose. Although for several years I used to be an avid poet, teaching and life have kept me from the poems I long to write. Below is a picture from a trip to France I took in 2006, I think it captures the essence of the poem I wrote below inspired by today's near-dusk run.



Gold-flecked sun glimmers
Bird song fills the stillness
And I am energy

Sweet smell of newly-flowering trees permeate
Their perfume assails my nose
And I sense spring has arrived

Inertia pulling forward
Mind willing body to run faster than its strength
And I feel free

Every stride cleanses
Each inhaled breath heals
Leading closer to touch the intangible
And I touch light

Praise for General Conference

Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for General Conference this past weekend. Like many, General Conference always seems to happen exactly when I need the spiritual sustenance it provides without fail. I am thankful for the leaders of our church who prayed and studied laboriously to create messages Heavenly Father wanted ME to hear. I downloaded all of the talks on Sunday and created CDs. I'm excited to listen to these messages over and over to remind myself how I can better my life and draw closer to my Heavenly Father and my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Here are some talks I particularly enjoyed:

*Elder Robert D. Hale's talk on overcoming debt- This is something I've really been working on this year. Although I only have a car loan and student loans to pay, I feel the need to be careful of my spending in order to save and have no debt. This talk was very insightful and provided a good guide for me (as well as for Evan and I together) to determine that I will not spend my money on things that I don't need to.

*Elder D. Todd Christopherson's talk on keeping our covenants- I am preparing to go to the temple to receive my endowments this year. Recently, I've really been contemplating and praying about the temple. This talk helped me to see the power that is given to those who make AND KEEP sacred covenants with Heavenly Father.

*Along those same lines were two talks about the temple, Elder David A. Bednar's talk (see posting about last general conference) and Elder Gary E. Stevenson's talk. As Elder Bednar would say, these two talks in particular were a tender mercies from the Lord. He knew what I needed to hear about the temple, He knew that I needed Elder Bednar to speak about the temple. I gained so much power, strength, and understanding because of these words. I know that, as Elder Bednar said, there is protecting power in the covenants made and kept in the temple. And that, as Elder Stevenson said, we are never lost (proverbially) when we can see the temple.

There are a million other talks I also loved... Elder Holland's talk on the Savior's atonement and how because he suffered, He can now help us to NEVER feel alone. Or, President Uchtdorf's talk on the path of discipleship. Elder Oaks talk about service and love also inspired me to look outside of myself to work on improving the charity I have for others.

Time will not allow me to mention all of the insights I gained from general conference. I do want to say that I know that these men and women are called of God to lead our church in these latter days. I know that President Monson is a prophet of God. I appreciate his words, his cautions, and his guidance, for I know that they come from God, Our Heavenly Father. I want to adhere my life to the principles mentioned during conference. I hope that little by little I can progress as I try to so do.

Ending Another Journey & Beginning Again...

New blog posts at Sarah's Scripture Study:

End of Another Journey & Beginning Again...

Quote of the Week

My first encounter with this quote happened several years ago as I was perusing a bright and unique shop in the Seattle airport. I came upon a black card with white lettering that said the above-mentioned phrase. I immediately bought the card and saved it for years, waiting for the perfect time to give it to a special friend for a special occasion. It was given to Evan 1.5 years ago when he and I were going through a rough patch.

Even though I no longer have the card, I still love this quote. Not only because it is by a German author, who is the German equivalent to Shakespeare, but because it reminds me that we must cast aside our fears and begin if we are to achieve. Thinking too much before starting causes doubt to flow in. However, being bold in the midst of uncertainty is truly magical. May you go out this week and achieve whatever your heart's desire.

Spring is the New Winter & Other April Fool Jokes

Well, hello friends. I haven't been seen around these parts since March 26th, 2009. And I'll tell you why. First off, I had spring break this week. Second off, because I had spring break this week, I went into hibernation and spent the majority of 3 days listening to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (the 7th installation of the Potter saga, for those not familiar). I love Jim Dale's many voices. I felt like I was listening to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and others as I listened to his reading of the book. For those of you who have read the Potter series, but have never listened to Jim Dale's reading, I would suggest (A THOUSAND TIMES!) doing so. Not only will you pronounce Potter words correctly, but the books will come alive for you in a way heretofore unimaginable. Just do it already.

Another thing I did during my spring break was consider what April Fool joke I was going to pull this year. Unfortunately, since Potter took a lot of my attention before April Fool's, I thought of some jokes, but didn't pull them. Maybe next year! Nature pulled an April Fool's joke on the Seattle area, though. Not only did it snow on April Fool's Day, but it also snowed the Saturday before. What is with this cold weather when it is now spring. Thankfully, right on schedule, it rained yesterday and life felt back in balance. Spring is here!

Since I didn't do anything cool for April Fool's Day this year (Evan and I thought of something awesome YESTERDAY, but we're saving it for next year), I'll show you what Evan and I did last year. Let me first say that I can do an unbelievable-looking pregnant belly purely by filling up my diaphragm to capacity. (I learned to do this during my many hours of breathing practice in my vocal lessons.) Naturally, Evan and I took pictures of ourselves and me with a FAKE pregnant belly. We emailed said pictures with the following email:



"Couldn't think of a better way to tell you, so here goes... Another addition to the family in six months! Whoops!

-S & E"




P.S. These pictures were taken in my apartment in Hawaii last year, hence my surfboard in the background.