rolling with the punches

It's been a stressful spring! Although this is my 6th year teaching, somehow the spring ALWAYS stresses me out. I think it's a combination of the warmer weather, being burned out, feeling indifferent towards my students, and having ZERO motivation to grade or lesson plan. Needless to say, it's been crazy and I am definitely ready for summer vacation!

One lesson that has stuck with me my last few years of teaching is to just go with the flow, especially when it comes to certain students and classes. For example, I have this crazy 6th period class of mostly boys. In my early years of teaching, I would have done everything in my power to have them do what I wanted and to get my way, no matter what. Typically, some of these kids are troublemakers in other classes, but for me they are pretty good. Why? I think because I give them a bit of freedom and I simply go with the flow. "You want to do a Battle of Bull Run reenactments as a class? Sure!" Or, "you want to do a cheer every time we open up our chrome books? Why not?!" Normally, I wouldn't want to deviate from "the plan" (aka, my plan), but rolling with the punches and being flexible in my lessons has enabled me to develop a good class culture with these students.

Having this realization about teaching has helped to implement the same philosophy in my own life. I am the kind of person the likes to plan and know what's ahead of me. The reality is, I don't quite know. So many things are up in the air. So in the meantime, what am I doing? Rolling with the punches.

10 more days of school…but who's counting?! :)

#30

I have 30 nieces and nephews. It became official this past week when #30, a little boy, came into our family. It's still exciting and exhilarating. I am so happy for my brother, Stephen and my sister-in-law, Jenny.

#30 and I am 30. It's incredible! Welcome to the world little Philip!

Goin' Shootin'

I never thought I'd ever shoot a gun but this guy gets me to do things I never wanted to do. That whole thing called "opposites attract" is legit.

On a beautiful spring day we headed to Hobble Creek Canyon and shot some guns. Yep, I shot a gun. It's still kind of weird to admit but it happened.

Brad knows his stuff. And he knows how to shoot without standing up. Not too shabby.

And yes, this is MY target. Not too bad, right? I got a few almost bulls eye. I am proud of myself.

Glad to be expanding my horizons. And glad I get home safe and sound after a day of goin' shootin'!!

Getting some closure

For spring break I returned to my beloved east coast. First, I stopped in NYC to spend a short 1.5 days with Kathryn and her family. Here, bellow are the 3 girls donning some winter gear for a chilly NYC day.

Good news, though. We stopped at Max Brenners Chocolate World and got some delicious food, like this incredible peanut butter and chocolate and banana crepe. Yum.

It was a short trip in NYC then I headed to DC and enjoyed walking around the tidal basin and seeing my old stomping grounds.

I loved catching up with some of my besties. Love these girls. 

It was such a fun trip! I got plenty of catch up time with my favorite people. As I visited, however, I got a strong feeling of closure. Although I miss DC, I know that my life path right now is the right one. My 5 years there were beautiful but it was the right choice for me to move on. 

I love DC but I love Utah more because I know it's where God wants me to be.  👍

Easter Time, Family Time

One thing I love about being in Utah is being able to see my family on a regular basis. Like this little girl. What a cutie! We ventured up to my aunt's house for her annual Easter Egg Hunt. It was good to see the little ones get so excited about finding some eggs.

And we still like to be silly…and we are even rubbing off on all of these nieces and nephews of ours. They are getting so big!

We like to smile, too. :)

And this guy came with me. He even paid the boys to get him a bucket full of candy. They responded and he paid up later. Lol.

Happy Easter! 

A New Kind of Adventure

I'm used to going on adventures. And, by adventures I mean...going on trips, making goals and checking them off, and doing hard things. It's just what I do and what I did for the last 15 years of my life.

When I was 15 I went to China

At 19 I worked in NYC with my brother-in-law Mark.

At 21 I lived in London and traversed through Europe

At 21 and 4 months I entered the MTC and served an LDS mission for 1.5 years

At 24 I moved to DC and started working in the inner-city at 25

While in DC I ran half-marathons, went on more international trips, and spent many weekends on the eastern seaboard.

Then I moved back to Utah and took a cross-country road trip by myself

It probably sounds like I may be bragging in this post, but I'm not, just trying to prove a point. The fact of the matter is that these experiences have been what I have called adventures over the last 15 years. Travel, friends, goals, hard things. And they are, still, adventures.

But now my life has become a different kind of adventure. Not saying that those bucket list items can't be done anymore, because they can. But I find myself embracing a slower pace of life that includes:

1. Living with my mom

2. Going to a family ward

3. Teaching middle school…yes, middle school. It's definitely an adventure!

4. Watching Gilmore Girls on Netflix streaming

5. Seeing family weekly and other friends sporadically

6. Dating my boyfriend. :)

7. Exercising, or trying to.

It doesn't seem that exciting, especially when you compare it to some of my adventures that I listed previously, but I am reminding myself that my current life situation is good, like really good (I'm dating someone for goodness sake!) and it's OK to have a change of pace. It's just been hard for me to redefine what an adventure is.

I just have to remember that every stage of life brings a unique adventure. And all adventures are good, regardless of form, function, place, thing, or circumstance! Bring it. I can do hard things!

Doing the family ward thing.

It's been 12 years since I was truly in a family ward (an LDS congregation). Not counting my LDS mission, I have been in a singles ward for that amount of time. There are times that I really miss the singles ward life. For example, I miss having friends who are in the same stage of life, the community, being involved in the ward, and being inspired by countless people who are high quality individuals. It was a great 12ish years in a singles ward.

Since being back in Utah, I decided to forgo the singles ward and began going to the family ward in my area. It's been a good experience, albeit with some hard moments and lonely Sundays. Everyone in the ward is married with kids or at least have children, with a sprinkling of widows (like my mom). It's been good to remember that in every stage of life comes hardships and marriage does not mean that life will be blissful with no challenges.

My calling (service opportunity) in the ward is working with the young women as the sports director. I get to coach the girls and also be part of Sunday lessons and activities. A couple of weeks ago we put on an activity that was a cruise ship theme. I was the MC for the evening and we had a fun dance party among many other activities that night. Here I am, below, with the other leaders that I get to work with. It's been a fun outlet and way to get involved with the ward.

The singles ward thing was good but the family ward thing is also great in its own way. I'm grateful for all my opportunities that stretch me as a person and gets me out of my comfort zone.