meme meme!

I stole this from Kirsten, who stole it from a friend. woo hoo!

meme meme!

saw this one word meme on allsorts; one of my favorite crafty blogs

Where is your mobile phone? table
Where is your significant other? unknown
Your hair colour? blonde
Your mother? Heaven
Your father? Here
Your favourite thing? Jesus
Your dream last night? nonexistent
Your dream goal? debtless
The room you're in? living
Your hobby? artsy
Your fear? failure
Where do you want to be in 6 years? married
Where were you last night? sofa
What you're not? tired
One of your wish-list items? featherbed
Where you grew up? Georgia
The last thing you did? drink
What are you wearing? clothes
Your TV? on
Your pets? cats
Your computer? laptop
Your mood? blank
Missing someone? yes
Your car? Xterra
Something you're not wearing? makeup
Favourite shop? Staples
Your summer? free!
Love someone? surely
Your favourite colour? Lime
When is the last time you laughed? today
When is the last time you cried? forgotten

join in if you like!

Well, the election is over. Tensions were high today at work (among the students, not the faculty) and I'd be interested to know just how many Obama supporters have an inkling of an idea what he stands for. I am not being prejudiced, but Obama supporters were more visible today than McCain. I would like to know the same for staunch McCain supporters.

At any rate, I'm reminded of a few verses...

Romans 1:28
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

...the biggest thing in my head is that God is using this election to get exactly what people claim they want. The Lord will not force Himself into a heart, a town, a family, or a nation. If He is rejected enough, He will stop convicting people of sin and just leave them alone. That frightens me more than anything.

Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

...I'm not super happy about the results of the election, but the battle we as Christians fight daily have nothing to do with the presidential candidates or their stand on various issues. My battle is with Satan and his demons. Thank God I have a High Priest in the Lord Jesus Christ that fights for me. As a believer, I can take heart....I've read the end, and WE WIN!!! :)

2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

...there is hope. Can it be found in Obama? Perhaps. The discussion I heard in World History class ("compel Constantine to embrace Christianity") earlier today repeatedly brought up the principle of grace--the chance for redemption. I am so thankful for God's promises of grace and forgiveness in the face of repentance. I am disturbed that I have heard little about Obama's faith or his desire to lead our nation in the footsteps of our founding fathers with regards to Chrisitanity. That said, redemption is possible.

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

...I do not believe that Obama is the best choice for our country. Honestly, I do not believe that McCain was the best option either (surprised?)....That said, I fall into the category in Rom. 8:28--I do love the Lord--and for that reason, I know that everything that happens in my life is going to work together for good. How, I'm not sure yet...but I trust in His promises and know He has something incredible planned for my life.

That's about as much in politics as you'll ever hear from me....

It's been a really rough day. I believe I have made some enemies at work, at least for the time being. It's always good to hear that--in the eyes of others, at least--you're not doing your job properly. It's even better when you hear it from a third party based on somebody else's observation. That being said, I am so blessed to have a job and my issues seem small compared to that of what others are having to go through tonight.

I am heartbroken at the grief that my friends the Hegwoods are facing tonight as they cope with the loss they suffered this morning. I cannot begin to imagine the pain they must be feeling from losing a son, a father, a brother, a grandson...and all over things that, on a day to day basis, may seem like an overwhelming burden. Dealing with the stresses of work, family relationships, peer pressure, depression, anxiety, grief,....it all builds up. I am thankful that The Holy Spirit can bring our needs before the Father even when we can't do it ourselves. Rom. 8:26b says, "for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Even in the most desperate times, I can sit in the presence of my Heavenly Father and just cry. The Holy Spirit takes those tears and translates them into the needs of my heart that my mouth hasn't yet been able to express.

I don't guess I have a good conclusion to this blog---I just had to get it out. My prayers are with the Hegwood family and I would ask that you help intercede for them as well. Bro. Jeff, Mrs. Cindy, Jake, April, Sydney, Jackson, Allie....I pray that the Lord will provide comfort, hope, strength, and courage during the times when you feel most empty.

7 Things

I've visited this website that I saw on Nicole's site--www.cfhusband.blogspot.com--so you can blame this on him (he invited his readers to do it, so there ya go...and here I am.) Enjoy!

1. I am very allergic to some kinds of leather. I'm not sure for how long (I hear your body chemistry changes every 7 years), but I own a belt that sits in my closet which I cannot wear because it is too painful. Literally.

2. I usually do not return phone calls from people who do not leave a message. It's a personal stance I've taken. I hate to talk on the phone anyway, and if your call wasn't important enough to leave a message for, it's probably not worth me calling you back to see why you called me in the first place.

3. I have to sleep with noise in the room. It can be in the form of a fan, the TV, the radio, or rain, but I can almost never fall asleep in complete silence. (Once I get to sleep, I'm fine--unlike my father.) This may be a problem if I ever get married.

4. I absolutely love looking at the beach. The sounds there are beyond a doubt some of the most soothing in the world. That said, I do not enjoy being at the beach for very long. The last time I went to the beach with my dad and stepmom, I spent approximately 20 minutes of my time actually in the sand...out of five days' worth of vacation. And that was enough.

5. I have worked as a waitress, receptionist, physical therapy assistant, teacher, test coordinator, burger flipper, librarian, babysitter, customer service specialist (aka Wal Mart), and a pharmacy technician.

6. I have never seen Gone With The Wind. I haven't read the book, either. I don't know that I will anytime soon. In addition, I have not seen Lord of the Rings or Dirty Dancing.

7. I was one of only three white people on the faculty step team last year. That said, I have been told I was one of the most talented on the team. I'm not bragging. I think it's funny, considering the fact that I cannot dance. At all. Well, wait. I know how to do the electric slide.

Jordan

I was reading Joshua tonight (I know it's late.....but I'm insomniatic...if that's a word) and I found something that I thought was interesting.

In Joshua 3, Joshua is preparing the children of Israel to pass through the Jordan river into the Promised Land. He tells them to sanctify themselves, and when they get to the Jordan River, to get in and stand still. After the Lord delivered the Israelites, Joshua commanded them to build an altar--stones of remembrance--on the other side of the river as a testament to what the Lord had done. I looked up some commentary on what the significance of the Jordan River was. What I found was interesting and the encouragment that I needed.

In the Bible, the Jordan River is symbolic of the passing over from one place to another--specifically, at a point in one's life where the Lord is in the process of changing and molding a life. Joshua commanded the people to get in and stand still.

At the point in our lives when the Lord may be molding us, it gets uncomfortable. The desire is to run, to go back to the "safe" and perhaps even pleasurable side of the river where we were before. If we follow the example, we should get in and stand still in the place where the Lord is growing us. As our relationship is just that---not a religion, but a personal, growing relationship with the Lord--this process should happen over and over again throughout the course of our walk on this earth. Don't run. Move to the place where the Lord has the ability (and permission--He won't force Himself) to teach you, and then stand still while He does!

If you follow the story, Joshua commanded the Israelites, once they got to the other side, to construct an altar as a place of remembrance for what the Lord had done for them on that day. When you come through a period of trials, growth, learning, or help (and often they seem to show up together...), leave stones of remembrance as a testament to the Lord's grace and His work on your life. Allow the process of change in your walk with Christ to be one that others can be inspired by...not because of how phenomenal we are, but because of His mercy and grace that He would still continue to chip away at the areas of our life that are unnecessary to make us something beautiful.

On that note, I'm headed to sleep. :) Sweet Dreams. Remember....Get in and stand still.

I'm not entirely sure anybody actually read this, but....I was feeling talkative and thought I'd come here (talking to my walls does me no good except to work out my vocal cords. After last night's football game, they need a rest anyway.) :)

I've officially made it through my first Saturday in three weeks without an injury. Two weekends ago I got to go to Celebrate Freedom, hear some incredible artists, and hang out with some incredible friends (Casey, Jesse, Mattie, Raymond, John, Hannah, Ansleigh, Ivy, and Corbin....you are phenomenal!). I was vaguely aware of my lack of sunscreen when I left the apartment, but figured I could just find some shade and perhaps only receive some minor pinkness. I even contemplated going back home to get it, but it took me 20 minutes just to turn on the road that took me to the parking lot (well, parking field), so I figured I'd just suffer through it (suffer being the operative word.) The concert was held in the arena. Unfortunately (for me), they don't make a habit of putting shade in an arena, as said shade may trip the horses. We parked in a field that they had just opened up for us. You should know that they began parking people in the far back corner of the field; we were the eleventh car from the corner. After hiking forever to get to the event, we hung out for a while and had a pretty good time. Sunburn began to show up mid-afternoon (along with possible signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion, whatever. I'm tough.)

By Sunday morning I was the approximate color of a tomato (Don't believe me? Check out my photo-progression over the last two weeks at www.myspace.com/soyperdonada ...I would post them here, but I'm not smart enough. If you are reading this and know how, I'd appreciate a tutorial.) I decided to leave off the makeup and just answer the questions (there were lots of them) at church. Later in the week I finally went to the doctor (about something else), and asked him for something (in pill or ointment form) that may offer relief. He gave me both. By Friday of last week I was almost back to my normal, non-flaking color. (This is after the cycles of redness, scaling, cracking, and greasy ointment that all goes along with sun poisoning.)

So we're back to last Saturday. Katie was having a surprise party, so after getting some things done Saturday morning I went to her aunt and uncle's house. Had a good time, blah blah, prepared to go. The way their house is set up, the porch is actually lower than the back yard. That being said, you have to go up four steps out onto the back yard. The porch is covered and has a rather low clearance at the top of the steps. I noticed this upon my arrival to the party, but the ice cream cake must have given me temporary amnesia. You know how sometimes you'll see what's about to take place just before it happens, but you don't have time to stop it? I never even saw it coming...until I caught the metal rail of the roof square across my nose. Out of instinct rather than good sense, I grabbed the rail to keep myself from falling down the steps while the stars left my view. The gracious hosts rushed to get me ice, lanacaine, and ibuprofen. Gene (a veteran nose breaker) examined my nose and declared it not to be broken.

Off I go home with a bag of ice stuck to my face (this makes for an interesting drive.) I got home, then paranoia kicked in. I live alone. What if I gave myself a concussion and, when I fall asleep, I never wake up? What if I pushed the cartilage from my nose into my brain and have brain swelling yet to be pronounced? What if I get a subdural hematoma (I watch too much ER.) Like a good hypochondriac, I called the nurse line with my insurance company. She advised me that, though there's nothing they can do even if my nose is broken, if my nose is still bleeding after this amount of time (it is) I should go to the ER or possible stitches. "Is there somebody who can drive you?" "Well, yes, but I live a mile from the hospital and could probably walk there before anyone could get here." "Well, that's good, then. Go ahead." Off I go. I had called Stacey and Casey about my injury; they both advised me if I went to the hospital to let them know. I did. They offered to come. I (being the proud sucker I am) told them I could hold ice on my face without assistance, and I would call them if I changed my mind.

When I walked in the ER the clerk looked at me and said, "you definitely need to see a doctor." Ya think? (I still have ice on my face. 20 or so amused onlookers in the ER said nothing...or at least that I could hear.) Mrs. Debra called me and asked me if I was okay. I reported that I was in the ER for possible stitches, to which she replied, "have you called Casey?" (Why she chose Casey I'm not sure--he wasn't at the party, and we have no ties other than being good friends...apparently she sees him as a protector and good ER companion.) I told her we had spoken and that he had offered to come, but I was okay and would call if I needed someone. Her response? "You need someone there. I'm calling Casey. I love you, goodbye." Casey showed up 20 minutes later.

I was feeling pretty safe (albeit humbled that a friend would come sit with me though he could offer no more assistance than a visual examination of my nose). Casey came with me into triage....do you remember the typical questions they ask you in triage?

• What's wrong? (Have you not seen my face?)
• What meds are you on?
• How tall are you? (Tall enough that I didn't miss the roof rail.)
• How much do you weigh? (I mean, really...remember my companion for the evening o' fun.)
• When was your last cycle? (Can we discuss any more sensitive information while I'm here? You haven't asked me my bra size yet.)

Anyhoo, the rest of the evening was relatively uneventful. When the doctor came in, he looked at my nose and said, "hmm. That could be broken," to which I replied, "well, they took x-rays." "Oh, really?" (Did you not order them?) In the end, he said I had a probable hairline fracture and superglued my nose shut (Jeremy said this superglue, by Wednesday night, looked like a booger. Said superglue is now gone.)

The ER called Wednesday afternoon to inform me that my nose was indeed not broken (well this changes everything! Thank you so much for letting me know....now I can go out and cancel my cosmetic surgery.)

All week I've had to endure basically the same comment: "Hey, Ms. Phillips, how's it goi....ohmygah what happened to your face?" (And, from a couple, "were you drinking?" [no, I wasn't. This was all me. I don't drink for several reasons, this being one of them--if I can do this much damage by myself, can you imagine what would happen if I were liquored up? I'm a special kind of clumsy.])

Today I haven't even bumped into anything. The day is pretty much over, so I think (cross your fingers) it may be safe to say I'm good to go....I really need a padded room with a helmet.

I'm getting ready to go to lunch, but I've been quite productive today. Originally I was to have help at work getting my office things moved, set up, etc. Said help didn't have a ride, so I'm here by myself. Praise the Lord for Mr. Duffy! I got to school and he had already moved all of my things into my new office and stayed around long enough to rearrange the big furniture the way I wanted it. He's so nice. (I told him he was so kind, and he replied, "well, you may be my boss someday!") :) I've emptied about six boxes and have that many more to go...I do need to make a list of things that I need to get at Wal-Mart to set up shop (my walls are so....well, bare. That part makes me sad!) At any rate, I'm getting settled in some and will probably come back tomorrow or Thursday to try and get some more accomplished. In the mean time, I have a multi-line phone, two huge desks, and a whole cabinet full of office supplies. I am blessed.

It was a little weird today telling a parent on the phone, "I am the testing coordinator here at RCHS.".....that was the first time I've ever said that. Odd.

I think I need some live plants for in here....something green and easy to care for (I don't exactly have a green thumb.) Tracey had something or other in her office and it looked fairly low-maintenance...so I may invest.

Okay. I'm out. More to come....soon.

We’ve been here almost a week now and I finally got some time to sit down, rest my feet, and reflect on our time here. J I’ve had a blast so far, and the island and all its inhabitants (except for maybe the beggar guy at the mall) are beautiful.

Our flight was pretty uneventful. The flight from Miami to the island was beyond overbooked, so our pastor too AA up on its offer for $800 voucher and overnight accommodations to the take the flight on Wednesday. IT seemed that were the only non-newlyweds on the plane from Miami. Since there are only a few flights a day that arrive here, the customs line was PACKED (of course, we seemed to be the last ones in line.) The agent at the door advised Caleb that he needed to change clothes (note: it’s illegal to wear camouflage in St. Lucia. Just so you know.) He went and found some khakis to put on, and after he got back the same agent came back, pointed at Micah (the youngest person in our group), and said that he qualified his family for the “children and special assistance” line. I asked her…nay, begged her to let the entire group go through that line, and she smiled and said, “go ahead.” The people here are super nice. J We got through customs without incident and got our luggage. Some of the skycaps knew Bro. Nathan (it’s easy to stand out when you’re the only white inhabitant on the island.) so they were very nice.

The house we’re staying in is beautiful (my apartment almost fits in the living room, I think.—pictures to come.) Bro. Nathan has truly been blessed by a wonderful house and accommodations. The Southern Baptist missionaries that were here left last week and asked him to watch their house (across the street), and also said we could use to help house our group. Add to that the vacant apartment downstairs and we have plenty of room.

So far while we’re here we have cleaned out the gutter behind the house, passed out tracts in the village near the church, and cleaned up their church building (it used to be a bar, “Myriad’s Place.”…praise the Lord it’s now being used as a house of worship!) The landlord gave them permission to paint, so the boys are there today preparing the cement and painting (the girls got to stay home and do domestic things---laundry, etc. anti-feminist, you say? Pshaw. I’d much rather hang clothes than paint any day..at least we have fans here.)

We got to go on a scavenger hunt the other day. The hunt started at the house and ended up at The Reef, a seafood restaurant on the beach. I felt much like we were on The Amazing Race and was tempted to head to the airport to catch the next plane to Bangkok for the next clue. We were given a list of things to find, including everything from someone who knew the national anthem (we found two nice school girls to sing for us) to someone who knows what Whit Maunday is for (I think person #40 finally used a lifeline, phoned a friend, and told us—we have it on video..It’s a religious holiday, but that’s all anybody knew.)

We went to church on Sunday in Soufriere (I’m working on my spelling.)…all day long. We had morning service, ate lunch (children first, then men, then women, then drinks….odd.), then had afternoon service. I think we sang every song in the song book and the chorus book. They like to sing a lot. The fellowship was nice and everyone was so glad to have us. It was extremely humbling…and extremely hot. I slept through supper last night, woke up, took a shower, and went back to sleep until this morning.

I’ll try and post more later, but here are some things I’ve learned so far (always an educator, I suppose!)

1. If it rains too much here, they (the powers that be) cut the water off. If it doesn’t rain enough, they cut the water off. I’ve prayed more for water this week than I ever have---I’ll never take it for granted again!
2. The people in St. Lucia are really nice. They will try to teach you Patois and don’t laugh (too much) when you mess up. I’ve learned a little but everyone says I speak it with a Spanish accent (who woulda thunk?) I’ve found some kindred spirits here and it amazes me how humble and happy they are.
3. You can get a taxi from Black Bay (the neighborhood where we live) to the mall (aka the supermarket) for $1.25EC (that’s about $0.50 USD). Taxis are marked by green license plates and are usually in the form of a bus that looks like something straight from Scooby Doo. We went on our own the other day and it made Hannah and I feel accomplished and all grown up (me, from little town USA where they don’t have taxis!)
4. “It’s finished” down here means they don’t have any more. In my brain, it meant “it’s ripe” and I used it mistakenly looking for good bananas on the street. The lady looked at me funny and told me to try Julian’s.

That’s all for now—I’ll post more later (possibly not till I get back to the states!) I miss you guys; leave me a comment so I feel loved! J

Beck

In 48 hours we'll be in St. Lucia.

I've been too busy to be excited just yet....it might help if I actually packed something!

Yesterday I decided I was going to try and get some errands run. My day went something like this:

• Left the house at 11:45. Stopped a couple of times on the way to the post office.
• Arrived at the post office to mail some MK at 12:15. Post office closes at 12.
• Went to Target. (If you're from Conyers, you'll understand the geographical frustration of the next five or six bullets.)
• Called Mrs. Lisa. Oddly, I don't have service in the middle of Hwy. 138. My phone has officially given up the ghost.
• Went to Circuit City. They tell me I'm within my warranty (1 yr) and I'm not eligible to upgrade my phone until the year is up (June 16). The lady tells me I have to take my phone to the Verizon store by Stonecrest.
• Went to Wal-Mart. I have a list of about 12 things I'm supposed to get for the Brock's. Wal-Mart has...um, about 5.
• Tried to call Mrs. Lisa back on phone. Doesn't work. Hung up on Mrs. Monica by mistake.
• Stopped to fill up my tank. Stitched my left shoulder and hip up from having to pay an arm and a leg at the Shell station. Kate Webb used to say that we should ride cows because they're cheaper. At $4 a gallon, Bessie is looking better and better.
• Went to the Dollar Tree.
• Almost went back to Target; decided instead to go to the Target at Stonecrest (I'll drop off my phone!)
• Went to the Verizon store. They tell me it'll be 4:15 when it's ready (it's 3:00 at this time.)
• Went to Target. Found a couple more things I needed on the aforementioned list.
• Went to Marshall's. Lots of people. Shopping for clothes for other people is not my favorite thing in the world. Will they like it? Will it fit? Will it be "too"...anything? The cash registers at Marshall's beckon the waiting customers...didn't realize this. "Register 3 is now available. Next customer, please proceed to register 3." Interesting.
• I've been up since 8:30 this morning with nothing to eat. At this point I'm not hungry but it's approximately 104 degrees. An ice cream and sweet tea from McDonald's sounds good. It is not until I get in the drive-through line at Mickey D's that the hunger kicks in. I added a burger to the list and parked for a minute.
  
• Back to Verizon. They tell me they can't fix my phone and they'll replace it. Because it's not under warranty (did you catch that?) I'll have to pay $50. The man says that technically I got the phone in May. Since I've had it for more than a year, I ask if I can go ahead and upgrade (the Voyager...that's what I really want!). No, they say, because even though I've had the phone for over a year the upgrade date goes one year from the last contract change (in July.) I look at him calmly and say, "I'm so confused. I've gotten four different dates from four different people." He replies, "I'm going to go ahead and take care of the $50 charge as a courtesy." Courtesy? Good thing--I was ready to cry all over his credit card machine.
• Back to Conyers to Bath and Body Works. They don't have everything that I need, but...I got a bunch of stuff for the Brock's and stuff for me as well (this made me feel a little better, at least.)
• Went to Staples looking for Epson printer cartridges. (This is the third place I've looked.) Nothing.
• Called Marie for directions to John's softball game. She says, "has Casey called you?" Long story short, he's working at the church and wanted to know if I could pick up some food for the kids. I was headed that way anyway so I stopped in. We talked and commiserated together for a bit (this made me feel a tad better as well.) I find out John's game is postponed so we went to Cozumel to grab dinner.
• Cozumel is closed...apparently there's some holiday I missed.
• We go to Red Lobster. Yum.
• John's game started at 7:30. I get to the field about 8:15 (how long do most softball games last?) I pull in to Marie's phone call. "Where are you?" "I'm walking toward the field; I just parked." "There's 14 seconds left." I tried to get there, I really did...oh well. I hope he knows it's the thought that counts.
• Katy's game started right after I got there. I stayed until the 6th inning when they called mercy (the score was like 9 to 22 or something)...at least Katy's team won. :)
• Home...shower....nice. :) I finally got in the bed around midnight.

Wow. Long day. Today has been some better...church was good and I have been productive today. More to come later!

• 
  

Look what I found!

I figured I would be productive this afternoon (I really wanted a nap, but (a) I'll sleep better tonight if I store up the fatigue for later, and (b) a friend of mine is working on my car tomorrow and I didn't want it to be nasty on the inside (see previous post....every now and then I feel the need to prove that I do know how to clean :))

Anyhoo, back to the post. I am a list queen, and in keeping with my personality I thought it would be interesting (at least in my head) to detail some of the random things you would have found in my car if you had looked for them (earlier...not so much anymore!)

• A pillow....and various "slumber party" type things. I have not slept at my house since Thursday night; we got back late from singing at a revival Friday so I crashed with the girls, and Saturday night we had a slumber party for the teen girls at Marie's...
• CD's...all kinds, Some of which I'm not sure where they came from.
• 3 forks. Don't ask.
• Tennis rackets. Ya never know when you might need them.
• A yoga mat. I almost brought this one in, but I figured it'd be good padding if I ever have to change the oil--or a tire--again.
• A Wal-Mart gift card--yippee! I can go grocery shopping!
• Scrapbooking stuff...enough, actually, to make three Christmas scrapbooks. I'm only 6 months behind. Perhaps when school's out.
• Mary Kay--there is Mary Kay in every room of my house and was in almost every section of my car...front seat, back seat, under the seats, cargo area, glove compartment, etc.
• Wine bottle. You should know that I don't drink. I went to a yard sale while I was home, however, and asked how much a one gallon glass jar was (figured it'd make a good money jug--this was in the car, too.)--she said, "free--and take that bottle, too." Well, okay...if you insist. It's green.
• About 3 pairs of shoes and three random shoes (whose partner is in the house)...one of the pairs was broken and just hadn't made it to the trash yet.

Wow. At any rate, the car looks much better and I found about $6 in change just under the seats and from drive-through windows. I have 20 minutes before I have to get ready...perhaps I will lie down.

• 
  

I'm going to ramble for a bit.

It's 2:48 pm. I just finished updating grades (hopefully for the last time before finals...but I know better. There will, I'm sure, be at least two or three more instances of students who had just one more thing to make up or turn in.) I feel kind of bad; I spoke with one of our administrators this morning...she tried to crack a joke on the phone and I didn't joke back! I need to call and apologize. I have been soooo overwhelmed for the last two weeks trying to get grades in, conference with kids who aren't passing, and prepare for next year. This time last year my desk was clean, the floor was clean, grades were updated, lists were made, ....well, you get the picture. I feel a lot further behind this year, I guess with the finality of the fact that I'm not going to be in the classroom next year I haven't been in any particular hurry for closure. Now that my grades are done I can focus on getting my Spanish III final done tonight (when, you ask? Not sure yet...perhaps I'll get some done before church. Once I got going last night my Spanish II final didn't take me all that long.)...and I have to make up game questions for Spanish II. And III. And I have to create the study guide for Spanish III. Eventually I will sleep. People joke about the fact that I, traditionally, do not have the neatest apartment or car. In response to that, I ask...when would I have time to do it? Vacuuming just has to take a backseat to all the things that have to be done yesterday. I have seen 2am a lot more in the last two weeks than I have in a really, really long time (like back-in-college-Mondays-are-Steak-n-Shake-nights-after-midnight.) I don't do as well on 4 1/2 hours of sleep as I used to.

On a brighter note, I'm reading a really good book called Do Hard Things. It's by Alex Harris (Joshua Harris' little brother and his twin). Our youth leadership team is reading through it and it has been phenomenal so far. It talks about getting out of the reputations that teens have for consistent slacker behavior and challenging them to turn their lives--and this world--upside down for the cause of Christ in the form of witnessing, politicking for the best candidate, organizing youth rallies, and getting out of your general comfort zone. It has challenged me for sure.

Well, it's 10 minutes later and the bell will ring shortly. I suppose I shall go. :) May 23rd can't come quickly enough! :)

I got sucked in...

100 things that you never knew (maybe)

It's all Kirsten's fault. Random 100 things about her got me thinking....so, in an effort to (a) educate the public, (b) pass the time, (c) talk about myself, and (d) NOT do what I should be doing (inputting grades), I thought I'd start my own list...maybe I'll get to 100, maybe not. We'll see.

1. I'm a southpaw.
2. I teach high school and LOVE IT.
3. I won't be teaching next year; instead, I'm the testing coordinator at RCHS.
4. I speak Spanish.
5. I'm not married.
6. In 12th grade Lauren Lindsey and I decided to do a project involving white mice. We started with 3. When we got to 10, mom made us find a new project.
7. I accepted Christ when I was 14 and I love Jesus!!
8. I have two kitties. Any more, considering my unmarried status and the fact that I'm a teacher, would just be weird.
9. Sometimes I dream in Spanish.
10. My dream dog is a great dane.
11. I've been in the hospital for my kidneys, an allergic reaction, my gallbladder, and (what I thought was) my heart.
12. I broke my leg in 3rd grade. It was Frankie Hogan's (and the chin up bar's) fault.
13. I've never had stitches that weren't surgery-related.
14. I have a scar in my belly button from having my gall bladder removed.
15. If I had a tattoo it would probably be on my foot. My left foot, to be exact.
16. My mom died when I was 18. Yesterday (May 3rd) was 10 years ago that it happened.
17. I never went to prom. I don't think I missed anything.
18. I've never been in a limo.
19. My first daughter will be named Emma Lee (if I have any say-so in the matter.)
20. I love wearing pigtails.
21. Cowboy hats are the only ones that I look decent in.
22. I have two college degrees and am going back to school in the fall for my third.
23. I don't like Mac & cheese unless it's from a box.
24. I have visited 13 states in the US and three foreign countries.
25. My eyes are my favorite physical feature.
26. I very often feel that I do not belong.
27. I know how to change my own oil (not just check it.)
28. I can also change a tire.
29. I own my own jumper cables and can use them without bodily harm.
30. I am currently on my 3rd iPod. The first one I lost, found, then sold; the second one got stolen.

I'm going to go back to work now....more in a bit.

...update: It's 2:35...a few more for the road before I hit the sack.

31. I am as blind as a bat without glasses/contacts. -5.75, to be exact (-6 in glasses.)
32. If you go to Kaiteur Coffeehouse in Conyers, you can ask for the "Ms Phillips special" and they will know what you mean, all because of me.
33. I almost got sued this year...
34. I took basketry in college.
35. I made an A in that class.
36. I plan to get married barefoot and indoors.
37. My best friend is freaked out by 36.
38. If I were to leave the teaching profession, my first job pick would be pharmacy tech.
39. My spiritual gift is organization/administration.
40. I'm traveling to my fourth foreign country this summer when we take a mission trip to St. Lucia.

Whew....it's 2:41am now....I really gotta get some sleep if I expect to make it to work in...um....I need to be up in exactly 4 hours.

...It's Monday. I'm on a mission...

41. I love geometric shapes; rounded squares and spirals are my favorites.
42. I play the bassoon.
43. ..and the piano.
44. I didn't learn to sing harmony until I was in college.
45. I use scissors right-handed, and Mrs. Delaney tried to convince me in first grade that I must be right-handed.
46. I once bowled a 12.
47. I won the last game I bowled...but only because the gutter guards were up.
48. I have broken something in every country I've ever visited.
49. I had a hamster for almost two years. He was our class pet.
50. I don't care for breakfast meat very often....if I eat bacon or chicken in the morning, it's in a biscuit.
51. Cream of Wheat is my favorite breakfast food.
52. My mom was the STAR student of her graduating class and so was I.
53. I graduated 5th in my class.
54. I can count to 3 in 5 languages, and to 10 in 4.
55. I work with someone who speaks 7 languages, Swahili being one of them.
56. I've never lived outside the state of Georgia.
57. Chocolate Gravy is my 2nd favorite breakfast food (it might be my first except I only get it when I go to June's house.)
58. I can cook pretty well...I just don't.
59. I know how to sew.
60. On the Myers-Briggs personality test, I consistently score ENFJ.
61. My love language is quality time.
62. I have helped eartag and immunize cows before.
63. I know the difference between a cow, heifer, steer, and bull.
64. I almost accidentally bought a heifer when I went to KS over spring break.
65. I always wanted a horse.
66. We never had one.
67. I have a basset hound named Noah (aka Belvedere.) He lives with my dad and stepmom in Washington.
68. I almost got my tongue and eyebrow pierced in college.
69. I'm glad I didn't do either one.
70. I had to wear an arch expander before I could get braces because my mouth wasn't big enough (I know, I know...)
71. I had two wrecks within three days of one another in college.
72. When I had the second wreck from above, my car was in the shop and I was borrowing my dad's truck.
73. I once locked my keys in my car while I was at the insurance company picking up a reimbursement check for the last time I locked my keys in the car (did you follow that?)
74. I hit my stepmom's car the night she and my dad got married (welcome to the family, Brenda!)
75. My daddy is the best daddy ever.
76. No, really. He is.
77. I lost the HOPE grant my junior year of college by .02 points.
78. After I lost it, I got dean's list for the rest of my college career (and got it back.)
79. I used to live across the breezeway from where I live now.
80. I am a Mary Kay consultant.
81. I love Southern Gospel music.
82. ..and bluegrass.
83. I've never read Gone With the Wind or seen the movie.
84. I have had five different cell phone providers.
85. I went on my first mission trip when I was 18.
86. I once worked as a camp counselor (Camp Pinnacle)
87. ..and a pharmacy technician (Wal-Mart)
88. ..and a waitress (Cracker Barrel)
89. Most of the art in my house was done by me.
90. I took photography in college and if I could build my own house, I would have a darkroom.

...Whew! Almost done. I gotta go get some stuff together....more later.

Wednesday night...9:25pm...the mission must end tonight.

91. I won the John Philip Sousa award when I was a senior.
92. I was voted Department Major of the Year as an undergraduate by the faculty.
93. Whew! I was voted Cohort Member of the Year as a grad student by my peers. (It all went downhill from there.)
94. MY FIFTH PERIOD IS THE BEST! They threw me my VERY FIRST surprise party today (well, second...but it was the first one that was actually a secret to me!)
95. I was born 9 days before my due date.
96. My dream vacation? Me + a car + a map + a few hundred dollars and a buddy or two....drive in no particular direction for a week or so, see the sights, and then drive home. :)
97. (Can you hear the suspense building?) I have a serious obsession with office supplies. I could spend my entire paycheck in Staples on things like post-its, pens, highlighters, etc.
98. I think I am borderline OCD.
99. I am terrified of fires.
100. (The big one)...Growing up, I was MORTIFIED by flat tires. In 3rd grade we had a flat tire. I had a broken leg at the time and instead of sitting in the truck while my dad changed the tire, I tried to hobble to the nearest house (complete with guard dogs in the front yard) for help. Ironically, that house is next door to where my dad lives now.

I'm done! Off to count money and grade some papers....

Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore....oh, wait. nevermind.

So far my trip to KS has been quite educational. I thought I'd pass along some interesting (yet probably useless) tidbits of information :)

1. Land in KS is laid out in square/rectangle shapes. This makes for a really nice aerial shot (if you happen to have an airplane handy.)

2. People paint the tops of their fenceposts (or stripes around nearby telephone poles) in KS to tell people not to hunt/trespass on their land. Why this is better than "No Hunting/No Trespassing" signs I am not sure.

3. Cows, it seems, have their very own daycare system built into each herd. It was pointed out to me today that the six calves hanging out near the one adult cow were being "cowsat" by the mama cow. June went on to tell me that in practically every heard, the mama cows take turns babysitting the baby cows while the other moms go off to eat. Interesting.

4. People fertilize their land here with straight nitrogen. None of the mix for them, thank you very much. Instead, they burn their land to renew it so it will grow. There is to be a field fire here in a day or so (pics to come.)

5. There is a pretty good sized prison between here and Wichita. Apparently the famous serial killer BTK (http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/unsolved/btk/index_1.html) is being held in that very prison. Hope he doesn't escape while I'm here.

6. We passed by a prison with no fence. (this is not the same fence where the BTK killer is)...apparently this place is "summer camp" for those on the honor roll at whatever prison they were at. This is still slightly disturbing. I was told that sometime last year the prisoners were in a vehicle to work somewhere and didn't come back..they were later found at a local trailer park...um..fraternizing with a local. They haven't given the guys keys to any vehicle ever since.

7. Real, out-from-under-the-chicken eggs are a lot more yellow than the ones you buy in a store. I had some tonight and they were pretty decent.

That's all for now...I'm pooped (riding around all day taking pictures will wear a girl out!)

**Check out www.myspace.com/soyperdonada for pics and "chronicles of Toronto". :)

So, what do you do?

Just for the record, it's 11:56pm. I should be in bed if I have any vague chance of making it to work by 7:30 in the morning, but this was on the brain.

I read in the Rockdale Citizen Poll this week a comment that talked about teaching. Apparently there has been some back-and-forth about teachers, how much they get paid, what they actually do, etc...the last line of this particular comment was something to the effect of, "stop complaining about getting paid $50,000 a year to work 190 days and get a real job." Wow. Not a lot gets me hot under the collar, so I should probably congratulate this person for doing just that. Just a recap of what it is exactly that teachers do...actually, I can't speak for all of them, so I'll keep it narrowed to what goes on in room 107 (and outside) at RCHS...

1. Teach. I have to prepare five different subjects' worth of Spanish to teach to all four grade levels. In these lesson plans, I must be careful to make sure that my lesson plans (a) look professional, (b) include all of the educational jargon that the professionals believe I should use, (c) entertain my students to keep them from sleeping and slobbering in my desks, and (d) plan in such a way as to reach all of my students--from the "bowheads" (as Mrs. Carroll calls them) to the kids who can barely manage to come to school, much less think about learning.

2. Play with red tape. All the legal and official stuff we (well, I) have to do is mind-boggling. Lesson plans turned in every two weeks. IEP's reviewed on a regular basis to be sure I'm accomodating all of my students. Duty. Meetings. Plans. Consortiums. Teams. Fundraising. Receipts. Discipline referrals. Copies sent to county office.

3. Counsel. Anything from problems between teammates, advice on boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, abuse, cutting, teacher grievances, study habits, work, school, careers...you name it, and I've talked to somebody about it. I've seen in the last several weeks a teacher at SHS who has taken heat for giving counsel beyond what was considered appropriate and wonder if I will ever be called on the carpet for advising a student to press charges against a boyfriend, to check into rehab, to break up with a girlfriend, to talk to a social worker and get out of their home, or to ditch their friend because they're a bad influence. I've taken kids home in my own vehicle, prayed with some, and invited others to church. I am sure that one day, somewhere, I'm going to get sued for it. I still do it. Otherwise I'd have kids getting rotten advice from friends, continuing the cycle of abuse and self-mutilation, never knowing the true reason that I became a teacher or anything about the God that I serve, or walking home after dark by themselves after staying to get help in Spanish.

4. Entertain. I am given a block of 90-100 minutes each day with a group of high schoolers (high schoolers, mind you, have the attention span of an earthworm...but wait, so do I...it works out pretty great.) If I stuck solely to the subject matter at hand, I would lose most of my students before the bell ringer was done. In lieu of that, we pull out easter eggs and put work inside (shhh..they don't know they're working if it's wrapped up in a pink plastic egg). We read novels. We go outside and play "have you ever" in Spanish. We play with stickers. We talk about where I come from and how "famous" I am because I always end up in the newspaper there. We take field trips around the school to post signs that the majority of the student body probably can't read. We have FLAB from time to time. We take time for "Omg Ms Phillips I have to tell you what happened this weekend" stories from time to time as well, just to break up the monotony.

5. Love. I see some of my students more than their parents do. I know more about some of my students than their parents do. Am I bragging? No. Sometimes it's too much and I'd rather be left out. That said, I am privileged that a kid would think enough of me to open up about his or her personal life and give me the chance to love on them the way that some of them never get anywhere else. I am thankful when a student asks, "So, Ms. Phillips, you coming to my ____ (game, tournament, competition, play, concert, etc.) tonight?" because I know that, deep down inside, they aren't afraid to admit in their own way that they still need somebody rooting for them. I have bought a birthday cake for a student because I knew she wouldn't get one otherwise. I have sat all night in a hospital room with another student because she asked me not to go. I have sat through more games and performances than I ever had to as a student. I have made an idiot out of myself as a step team member and a fashion show runway girl. I have bought lunch for kids who didn't have money to do it, and I have shared my peanut butter with anybody who wanted it...all because the Lord has loved me so much and I want them to know a little bit of what that's like. At the end of the day I am more concerned that my kiddos know that somebody cares about them than I ever have been that they learn Spanish. I love teaching Spanish, but my content area is not what brings me to work everyday.

I am not alone in the things I talk about; most teachers come from the same place and would do the same things for their kids; I see evidence of that every day.

I probably will make $50,000 a year eventually. This will come after another college degree and another 5 years of experience or so, if I'm still in the classroom. My monthly paychecks aren't my favorite part of my job. Instead, I love it when a student comes in with a smile and big eyes to brag about winning their game. When kids leave me notes on my door, my board, or a sticky note on the wall that says "Hey--I stopped by...Your favorite student" or asks me to mentor them. When kids write me letters about how much they enjoy my class (not for the Spanish aspect of it, but the other stuff). When I get a sheepish grin out of the girl that finally "got" what we were learning. When I can pat somebody on the bask that's done a good job, say "I sure am proud of you!" and get a smile in return. When I get a voicemail or text message to ask how I'm doing. Even when I get a text message during 1st period (yes, it's against the rules) on the days that I'm out sick to say "I miss you!". When I get a hug. When I get the same question every day during 5th period, "How was your lunch?" When kids sign their school picture and give me a copy for my wall. When kids see me in the hall and call me out, even if we're at opposite ends of the hall. When they see me make a fool out of myself and appoint themselves as my personal pep squad. When they say "You're the best teacher I've ever had!" (I'm sure I'm not, but I feel good anyway!) When they choose me to receive a rose at the Superintendent's Award Ceremony. When they ask me to call their mom because they made an A on their quiz. When they ask for a sticker on their report card. When they bring me a piece of art they did in Mrs. Rojas' class and give it to me. Those are the paychecks that keep me coming back. Every time I meet somebody new, the question always comes up about what I do for a living. When I tell them I teach high school, I usually get a look of pity accompanied by, "Aww..." Don't feel sorry for me. I did not get drafted into this career; my heart led me this way and I can't imagine doing anything else. I have phenomenal kids and I am blessed to have the chance to interact with them even on a small scale.

One of the things I wrote to the Citizen Poll was the fact that teachers could take the knowledge they have and go plenty of places with it and make twice what they make in the classroom as biologists, interpreters, doctors, law enforcement officials, and editors. Instead, many take second and third jobs to make ends meet so they can continue to do what they love doing. It bothers me that some parents send their children into my classroom and expect me to educate them without (a) ever understanding what I do, (b) expecting them to obey or respect me, (c) offering any support at home to back up what I say in class, and (d) appreciating the fact that I'm educating your child so you can go out and "get a real job."

Now. It's 12:17 and I am going to bed. Thoughts?