A good week in the teacher-sphere

Teaching update. Here it goes.

This week has been a great week. A week like this makes me want to shout "Hallelujah" to the teaching gods. Here's why:

• It's the start of the 3rd Advisory (quarter) and so I feel at this point that the students know me, understand how I work, and I know them better. I keep the same kids all year and that is such a blessing because I can continue to foster a relationship with them.
• We had a snow day. It never hurts to NOT be at work, right?
• I have a student teacher working with me. She is the bomb.com and we get so much done together. When I teach she will grade and help needy students and when she teaches I do the same. I am all caught up with my grading, when does that ever happen? Almost never.
  
• I switched seats and arranged my seats differently. Note to self: 9th graders need to be facing towards the teacher. In a semicircle spells "You are nuts." Now that they face me, and not each other, they are WAY more focused. Plus, I put my needy kids next to some very self-sufficient kids. Brilliant, they can help each other! God bless assigned seats!
  
• Problem students are starting to show signs of progress. They are coming in to see me, we talk, we are civil, and there is hope that they can pass this quarter.
• We are moving on to the Middle Ages/Renaissance. Info I know about. Yes.
  
• We are going on a field trip in 2 weeks to the Library of Congress. I am excited for them to see the Mesoamerica exhibit.

Wow, I have a great job! Lets hope I feel this way next week!

Mostly Martha

Here's another honest post; Stop reading now if you want to remain ignorant regarding my weaknesses. :)

Have you ever analyzed whether you are a Martha or a Mary? Well it never really occurred to me until recently how much of a Martha I am. In this Mormon culture of ours, we often look at Martha as the one "cumbered about much serving,"or in my interpretation, "worrying over the details of dinner, and stressed that that you don't burn the casserole." While Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and who "chose that good part" or in my interpretation she chose to chill with the Savior and soak in his divinity. Everyone's interpretations of these two may be different, but these are mine, or these are the ones I have been taught.

Though I have a strong testimony of the Gospel and have had the "sat at the feet of Jesus" moments, I often call myself a Martha.

I totally see this with my job and with my calling as Institute PR person. I worry over the details and I have a hard time sitting still at times. Sometimes I'd rather be in the kitchen making sure the refreshments get on the table rather than sit for fifteen more minutes of Institute. At work, I often get preoccupied with my lesson plans, if everything is flowing, and if everyone is working/behaving that I don't always chat with my students and build a better relationship with them. I do get "cumbered about" in many areas of my life. I was also this way on my mission; stressing about which areas we should contact in, wanting people to accept the Gospel, and not being willing to let the Lord work His magic. I don't know, it's me.

A few weeks ago I really thought about this aspect of my personality. I was stressing because I wasn't more like Mary and us Mormon folk give her such a bad rap. I want to be more of a Mary and so I looked to the scriptures to find some inspiration and found this:

"20Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will ^agive it thee. 23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25Jesus said unto her, I am the ^aresurrection, and the ^blife: he that ^cbelieveth in me, though he were ^ddead, yet shall he ^elive: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never ^adie. Believest thou this? 27She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the ^aSon of God, which should come into the world. 28And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him."

As I read this, I realized that Martha was the one that got up and met Jesus, while Mary sat still in the house. Because Martha decided to find the Savior, she had this amazing experience with Him; where the Lord told her that her brother would rise again, she believed him, and she was blessed for her faith. Cool, right?

So it dawned on me: Being proactive isn't such a bad thing. Actually, it's great. I am a fairly proactive person. I talk to random people. I ask the Lord for miracles. I step out of my comfort zone and take a leap of faith. All in all, this proactive business has brought me countless miracles and blessings. Sure, I may miss the mark at times. But don't we all?

As a result of this realization, I'm not feeling bad of being mostly Martha. In fact, I am proud to call myself a "Martha." I will strive for some Mary moments, but being mostly Martha ain't so bad after all.

I don't need to prove my awesomeness.

Many times in my life I have felt like I've had to prove--something--to the world. I think this is a fairly common notion. Here comes a burst of honesty...ready?

I have never been a size 6 supermodel type and, as a result, I have often felt that I need to prove to people, especially men, that I am cool. I may not have the perfect body or the perfect looks, but I can ultimately convince someone that I am worth knowing. I have done this in a variety of ways. I can play sports. I have a testimony. I served a mission. I have a decent singing voice, I have traveled. I have good motherly skills. I am outgoing and have good social skills and the list goes on...Yah, I'm pretty special but why do I feel like I have to prove this to others? (Obviously, there is some underlying insecurities...lame).

In so many instances I have felt like I need to prove my awesomeness to people, merely to show that I am something special. It's a bad habit to get into as it can easily lead to pride and selfishness. When that alarm goes off, I know I need a reality check.

Tonight at Institute we studied Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. We discussed the many doctrines and principles that we can gain from the first chapter of Moses. Creation, God having a body, us being created in the image of God, and our ability to overcome Satan's temptations were a few of the topics to name a few. What struck me though is Moses and his ability to not be tempted by Satan and his willingness to call upon God. He knew he was a son of God, not man. He spoke to God face to face. Although tempted by the adversary, he did not waiver in his knowledge of God and ultimately God's plan (to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man). Ultimately, he did not have an identity crisis. He didn't have to prove anything to anyone because he simply knew that he was a son of God, divinely created in God's image. That was enough for him. Despite his weaknesses and fear, he knew his royal heritage and divinity.

I wish I remembered that more often; especially when I am quick to want to show off my awesomeness to others. Yes, I definitely think there is a place to be proud of your accomplishments but ultimately I don't need to prove my coolness. I am a daughter of God. He loves me. I have the potential to be like Him. He knows I'm awesome and therefore, I should never underestimate the divine identity that comes with that knowledge.

I'm awesome. You are too. God knows you're awesome. No need to prove it to me or to the world. Thanks, Moses, for being awesome yourself.

P.S. You know what else is awesome? I entered the MTC 5 years ago today. Shoot, that's awesome.

The Midwinter Funk

So even with a lot of good things to celebrate, I am currently in my"midwinter funk" stage.

I get this way every January/February. I start feeling restless, anxious, a desire to change, a feeling of needing to be better, a time when I want to be focusing outward but instead turn inward and contemplates my current situation in life. The cold makes me want to hibernate as I have little desire to be social. There's not much to look forward to and spring break just sounds so far away. The school year is half way over and I start to wonder if I can make it to spring. Looking back on the last 7 or 8 years, I think I have been in this funk every winter to some degree or another.

Does anyone else get this way this time of year? I am in a funk. I need to be funk-less.

Back in the Swing of Things

It's almost like I never went home for Christmas. Honestly, it's hard to remember those days when I actually got to sleep in, spend time with the fam, and not have to lecture a student for the billionth time not to cuss, be on their cell phone, talk during the warm-up, or every other thing that I tell them NOT to do.

This teaching business is exhausting. Have I mentioned that?

So here I am, back in the swing of things. Getting up at 5:45am to get to work early. Staying after school way after I planned so that I can help students with missing work, calling parents to tell them that their student is failing my class. Oh, and by the way, I have called 30 parents in the last few days to tell them that their student is failing my class. Yah, 30. It doesn't seem like a lot, but trust me, it is. Emailing colonials (my word for the Mormon YSA in the area) about Institute and then attending Institute on Tuesday nights. Dinners with friends. Running (I am re-training for another half marathon again:). FHE. And the normal housekeeping things I do to have some type of sanity.

Oh, and I have a student teacher from BYU as well. She's awesome and it will be a great situation. But, who ever thought that a teacher with only one year of experience could be a mentor? Not I. But here I am, mentoring...when two years ago I was student teaching. A good experience so far.

So, yes, people, I am alive and well but busy. Super busy. But life is good and I am happy to be busy and blessed to have so many great things to celebrate.

Holiday Happenings: The Fam

Making snow angels with my bro...ready, set, go.

This is cold.
Snowman.
Putting the moves on frosty.
Christmas Eve (picture turned out funny)





Me and the mysterious woman. I know, Bethany, it's shocking.


Caught in the moment...nothing better than picking your nose in front of the camera.
Cow bandit(s)? haha.

Temple lights...

The ultimate fort. Stephen is a genius architect and builder. What's better than a fort sleep over? (you'll have to ask my nieces and nephews, I slept in my bed :)
Just like old times...
Love you fam! Thanks for showing this DCer a great time, as usual.