Reason for the Season No.1

When Patti Mortensen told me two years ago, "Oh you have to meet the Katies," I had no idea what she meant. I was barely out of college and teaching in Utah. When was I ever going to cross paths with Patti's Saint Mary's students? Fast forward a year, and I was teaching at San Ramon with the infamous Katies. I was still in shock over my divinely orchestrated move to California, and just as Patti had forseen, instant friends. The Katies were the first people to come meet me at my new school. They were my first connection to "the group" (our quirky, but cool clique at SRV - yes, high school teachers are still caught up in drama of their own). They listened to me, laughed with me, and agreed with me with I thought the "higher-ups" were going to force me into early retirement with their "collaborative" ideas. Now another year later, Katie Milner has made the trek to Colorado to be with her fiance leaving Katie Finegan and I as the sometimes good humored, sometimes sarcastic pair that creatively tries to make it through the joy that is public education (not to mention life in general).
Fin is everything I need in a friend and coworker - she loves movies and books. She grew up watching Dr. Quinn and Anne of Green Gables. She loves trivia and is close with her family. Katie is funny, honest, and brilliant. Truly, each school day is better because I know Fin is just down the hall. She is a reminder that God is mindful of our needs, and so she is one of my reasons for the season.

ps. From left to right in the picture taken just before halftime at the homecoming football game - Jaclyn, Julie, Katie, and Echo (Zach is our lone wolf on the second row). San Ramon won that game by the way - a crushing victory over Granada. Go Wolves!

Endless Photo Boxes

Sometimes I wonder how I managed to be surrounded by so many good friends who seem to possess boundless creativity and an uncanny eye for a good picture. The question for you all today is what do you do with your extra pictures (ie those doubles that you shouldn't have printed or the pictures that didn't make the cut for the album or picture project)? The OCD side of me says it's time to toss anything that I haven't used or looked at recently. The packrat in me is angry that I am even considering getting rid of old pictures. Any ideas to help the silence the ridiculous quarreling voices?

Stealing Time

It's nearly 1am the day after Thanksgiving - the smell of turkey is still lingering in the air. People are lining up for the insanity that is Black Friday. My wonderful family is fast asleep. And I am up, completely awake, thinking about how blessed I am. This is the last Thanksgiving my family will spend together as a whole group until 2012--knowing that made today extra special, almost like we stealing time. If I could, I would pause time here for a just a little bit longer because days like today are what life is all about.

Doses of Hope

I avoid doctors like the plague - almost as if they were the actual cause of my ailments. Instead small doses of hope seem to make my days better and my nights more peaceful. Though the doses do not actually fix my ailments (be they physical or caused by my insanity that comes and goes with the length of my to do list), they do seem to make the world a more user-friendly place. Here are a few of my recent self-prescribed doses--


I love seeing how much good people can do for each other. Even though Ty Pennington is crazy, I love this show.


Being at the same high school as Cameron rocks my world- this kid thoroughly entertaining to be around. Notice that fabulous hair he has in this picture - yeah, it's completely gone - he shaved it for the big game against Monte Vista. SRV won by the way - completely wiped the floor with those whining mustangs.


Hanging out with Angela Chase and Brian Krakow can make a girl a bit melancholy, but living in the world of Liberty High with the whole clan these past few weeks has been thoroughly enjoyable.


Lastly, I have been sending out inordinate amounts of mail which means two fabulous things - one, I am checking off things off my to do list (makes anyone feel better) and sending lots of letters and notes all over the world. Everything seems better when there's something random in the mailbox - doesn't matter if I'm sending or receiving it.

There you are - doses of hope, doses of happiness. Seemingly small and simple, but wonderful pieces of my existence. Isn't life great?!

Blessing Mae

Per Lauren's request, here are a few shots of Baby Mae's Blessing Weekend - like I keep saying, the world truly revolves around her now...and we have no complaints about it.

Definition of Cute

This was taken during Auntie and Mae playtime this past weekend. Epitome of a perfect moment! Can you believe how big she's getting?!

Really, what did you think?

I started a very melodramatic post today during school - cannot finish it now. It's too introspective for the amount of laughing I've done tonight. Just had to quickly jot down one of those classic moments that proves life is so much funnier than fiction...
One of my past students from Heber instant messaged me on facebook tonight (something I never am signed in to, so it must have been comically fated) with a rather urgent, "I need to talk to you." I was thinking some sort of drama - college class related, of course. No, no - she wanted to know about "Travis" (names have been changed to protect the innocent - oh wait, I was the innocent - so his name really is...). Not the Travis I met and adored during a few months of Raintree life. The Travis who asked me out while I was half dressed, getting work done on my then-recently injured back and neck. This past student knew he had asked me out because he had been hitting on her simultaneously at night school before realizing she was sixteen (not kidding folks). I went out with him once because it's my rule...and he was nice. Just not quite my style - the best part of our night together was me finding the store where Jewels and I eventually found her wedding dress. Now, he's hitting on that same student again - and she wrote me to see what our history had been and whether he was a good guy. Are you kidding? A student going out with the same guy I did - awkward, bizarre, and a million other words...not to mention so hilarious I started laughing out loud with just the computer screen and blinking text as company.
That's it - just had to share - maybe it's not funny. Maybe you have to hear me tell this to understand because I am hoping they get married. Did I mention when she was in high school and I was her English teacher, we looked alike? Oh yeah, it just keeps getting better.
Love it! Love you all -- hope you're having a wonderful November so far! Good night--