Sweet Friends

I so cherish those friends with whom I am able to pick up where we left off, regardless of the time that has lapsed between meetings.

Smooth

I sneezed with coffee in my hand.  It didn't end well...

A sweet and simple luxory.

It is amazing how a nice, hot shower can provide a temporary escape.

They add a little flava.

There are some regulars on our campus who aren't students, but we love having them around:  

Sarge is the campus hobo.  He walks around in his uniform, digging through trash for cans to recycle.  He's in our dumpster at least once a week, and is always happy to greet me as I come home from work.  On occasion, the frats will have him over for dinner--he's been around for a while.

We have "The Hot Dog Guy" who is a sweet, old Polish man who is always offering his special seasoning to whoever buys their lunch from him.  He's a fascinating conversationalist, and loves his regulars who always tip him almost 100% (it's easy when it's a buck for a hot dog).

There's "The Jewelry Lady" who designs beautiful jewelry and sells it to the young ladies on campus.  You can count on her to amaze you with her stories, if you give her the time of day.

On our street is "The Lady on the Corner" who has torn down her fence and allows anyone to garden/grow anything in her yard.  She hosts gypsy jazz concerts in her home, and her brick house is painted yellow, purple, and orange.  

"The Crazy Lady" just stares.  All the time.  

Finally, there's the "Bubble Boy." I have yet to get to the bottom of this one.  He rides around on his bike, completely wrapped in plastic.  It literally looks like he wrapped himself in saran-wrap, and hopped on his bike.  Maybe some day I'll get the story.

These guys keep things interesting around here.

Say cheese!

I love to see people smile.  I love to watch people interact with one another, and see their eyes light up as that smile beams across their face. 

It's often the smallest things that make us do it, but smiling certainly is a healthy habit  :-).

Silly questions or watching Friends? both

1. Pierce your nose or tongue? nose

2. Be serious or be funny? funny

3. Boxers or briefs? boxers
4. Whole or skim milk? skim
5. Single or taken? taken
6. Simple or complicated? simple
7. Law or anarchy? law
8. Flowers or angels? flowers
9. Grey or gray? gray
10. Read or write? yes
11. Color or black-and-white photos? color
12. Sunrise or sunset? sunset
13. M&M's or Skittles? M&M's
14. Go to bed early or wake up late? go to bed early
16. TV or Radio? TV
17. Is it POP or SODA? soda
18. X or O in Tic-Tac-Toe? X
19. Leather purse or knit purse? knit
20. Eat an apple or an orange? apple
21. What came first the chicken or the egg? chicken
22. Hot or Cold? hot
23. Light or dark nail polish? light
24. Tall members of the opposite sex or short? tall
25. Sun or moon? moon
26. Emerald or ruby? emerald
27. Mt. Dew or Surge? Mt. Dew
28. Left or right? right
29. 10 acquaintances or 1 best friend? 1 best friend
30. Vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream? vanilla
31. High or Drunk? no thanks
32. Green beans or carrots? uncooked-carrots; cooked-green beans
33. Low fat or fat free? low fat
34. What is your biggest fear in the world? no love
35. Silver jewelry or gold jewelry? silver
36. Kids or no kids? kids
37. Cat or dog? dog
38. Half empty or half full? always half full
39. Mustard or ketchup? ketchup
40. Hard cover books or soft cover books? soft
41. Newspaper or magazine? magazine
42. Sandals or sneakers? sandals
44. Red car or white car? red
45. Happy and poor or sad and rich? happy and poor- which I am :-)
46. Singing or dancing? both
47. Hugging or Kissing? hugging
49. Happy or sad? happy
50. Purple or green? green

I'm with Alli on this one.

Some quality time with the trail and my running shoes can be so therapeutic to an aching heart.

(Don't judge my stats. Ha.)

Unrelenting Love

Tonight, I stood between my siblings and mom and worshiped. I looked over to see the pastor put his arms around his sons, and couldn't help but tear up. It caused me to think of the strength that the Lord has given my precious mom through our lives to guide us in the spirit regardless of the antagonism of my father.

What a beautiful testament of his might and worth it has been to witness the growth in my family as a result of the love he continues to pour out. Regardless of our lack of recognition or acknowledgment of it, his love is unrelenting.

How great is our God.

Wash Park

Oh, how I love this park!  I love to run on the small gravel trail around the lakes where I have to focus not on my workout, but on avoiding tripping over the geese or stepping in their poop (weren't they supposed to go south for the winter?).

In the mornings, I watch the ducks interupt the still water as they fish for breakfast.  I watch the young men play frisbee with their dogs, and the old men who have lost their wives walk together, encouraging one another through simple companionship.  I watch the kids walk to school, and I giggle as they scatter when the bell rings. 

In the evenings, I get to see the sun set behind the mountains in the west, and watch the light deflect off the trees and water.  I watch daddies walk with their daughters who are just learning to ride their bikes.  I see mom's with their jogging strollers laughing as they catch up with their friends.  I watch men in business suits playing catch with their sons.  I watch couples roller blade together.  I smile as everyone that I pass greets me.

My favorite, however, is long boarding through the park with Jenae in the summer, and finding a place to lay in the grass between all of the volleyball, soccer, and rugby games.  

I love this park.  I love the people that it attracts, and the escape that it provides.  

Curveball!!

Life wouldn't be life without a few curve balls-- strike that-- a lot of curve balls.  

This week, mine was.....I'm going to be an aunt!! Okay, not really.  But pretty much.  

Now that you're utterly confused, let me explain:

One of my most dear friends is unexpectedly expecting :-).  As she's beginning to get over the stares and glares from younger students at our school, she is growing more and more excited. 

I am thrilled to get to be there with her every step of the way! I am also glad to be there with her to help deflect any judgement and criticism that comes her way. Harsh words are by no means helpful during this time! So people should just shut up. Hee. It can be tough being an older student mixed in with a bunch of 18 and 19 year old homesick party animals, but she's doing so well :-).

Why??

Why are educators so under appreciated? Why is it that those who pour their heart and soul into a school in an impoverished area are looked down upon for not teaching in a "better school?" Why is it that Colorado is ranked 48th in the country for designated funds for teacher compensation? Why does this state spend over $500 less per student than the national average? How is it that we allow extraordinarily talented teachers to be discouraged to the point of resignation over state test results? How has it taken this long to realize that we need to measure growth in schools, not just proficiency? Why are schools social and cultural "sorting mechanisms?" Why is it that the vast majority of students are expected to come out of the education system in the social class they came in in? How have we allowed ourselves to surround students with boundaries and expectations that virtually force them down a predetermined path? Why have we had so many productive and innovative thoughts on student interest, opportunity, and achievement for so long, yet have not been able to penetrate the system with them?

Or is it that this is just a very slow process with which we must be patient? 

Lasting change in this structure will not, has not, and cannot happen overnight: but it will happen. 

Beautiful

I returned home this afternoon, drained from being chewed out by twelve-year-old boys, to find a beautiful boquet of lilies that had been delivered to me. What a sweet surprise. 

Thank you, friend. 

Long with a capital "L"

A lot takes place in one of my days.  Today has been an especially event filled one, and is incidently far from being over.

I wake up relatively optimistic-- some mornings more so than others.  Those of you who know me know that I prefer to go about my days with positive energy.  Unfortunately, the days seem to be outlasting the energy; I think I may even be growing short on supply. 

This evening, I found myself with a spare 40 minutes between obligations.  I chose to spend them sitting at a Starbucks table (cliche, perhaps), with a cup of tea and the curriculum books I'm studying.  The beautiful, giant snowflakes floating outside the window distracted me from my studies almost immediately. Suddenly, I started, and looked down to find that twenty minutes had passed while I had watched countless flakes drift to the ground. 

I quickly regained focus, read a chapter on social structures in schools, and packed my things. By this time my tea was at a tolerable drinking temperature, so I carried it and my bag to the car and went on to fulfill the final commitments of my evening.

Those few minutes in the coffee shop provided me with the reassurance of the miracle and blessing that life is, and that our hard work, all done in service to our Lord, is never in vain-- and so we press on.

My bed bug doesn't bite.

The past few nights I have found myself waking up to brush a little ladybug off of me. Being hardly coherent, I would just knock her so that she was no longer on me, but was still in the bed . 

Finally, this morning as I made my bed I picked her up and put her outside.

Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home.

Really?

I spent this morning with two very nice officers from the Denver Police Department. It was in regard to two kidnapping charges and a restraining order given to the parent of one of my students. Both of the parents and the child were present.

Really people?? She's FOUR YEARS OLD! What did she do to deserve this?

Did I mention that this was at a private Christian school?

Picture This

Okay, just imagine this (I would tell you to close your eyes, but you're reading, so that wouldn't really work out): 50 tiny voices belonging to 3-7 year olds, singing "Let Me Call You Sweet Heart."

Pretty nice thought, eh?

Yeah. That's how I spent my afternoon. How lucky am I!?

Xie Xie Baba

I'm not sure how much he'd appreciate me sharing this, but I can't keep this amazing story to myself. Though the English may be broken, this is a beautiful portion of his story from his point of view.

He's my Baba.

"Your aunt was sent to live with her grand parents when she was little because of my mom’s ignorance and the old style thinking that the boy is better than the girl. I went to Hong Kong when I was in the 6^th grade; I also lived with my grand parents because my father didn’t have the finance means. I never complained and blamed my father. The first apartment was very small; it’s smaller than our living room; the next apartment was bigger; it’s the size of our kitchen. Can you image that 5 (my grand parents, their maid, aunt Frances and I) of us lived in that space? Your Aunt Vivien took very good care of us; she did her best to give us more. After graduating from high school, my father and I “begged” my uncles and aunts to pay for my airplane ticket and give me some pocket money so that I could go to the USA. Aunt Frances and I didn’t have a normal family life when we were young. I often think of orphanage. Aunt Frances can tell you more.

"Your mom and I have been working hard in order to provide comfortable environment for you all to study and advance,so that you don’t have to BEG like I did. In the contrast, I am begging you to advance. I always preach that “There is gold in the book”. Education diploma is yours to keep forever. Please don’t let that golden opportunity pass by. I know that I am not as a good father as you’d like; I am working hard to better myself everyday.

"My father was graduated from China’s Tsinghua U which is equivalent to the Harvard U in USA; he worked/earned his way thru college. He loved music; he played the “erhu” and had a recording. He was a very successful business man till the communists took over the China in 1949 then the Communist sent him to a hard labor camp. He escaped from Canton, China to Hong Kong, which was a British Colony at the time, when I was in 5^th or 6^th grade.

"My Aunt Vivien was a stay home mom; her husband gave her a monthly allowance and she used part of that to spoil us. She had a terrible mother-in-law and her husband didn’t stand up for her. She’s a happier these days. I visit my Aunt Vivien every year to thank her; without her help, I won’t be here today.

"One of these days, you may understand why I was always home when you got off the school bus."

What is it?

I've decided that I don't like Splenda very much. It's made from sugar, but has no calories. So what is it? 

Anyway, I like sugar. Am I really going to get fat from putting a teaspoon of sugar in my oatmeal every morning? Hmmm.

Put in my place.

Months of hard work and hours spent in practice rooms came to a culmination yesterday, as I played Beethoven's first piano concerto for three judges on a nine foot Steinway, in one of the best recital halls in the country. 

The performance was a lot of fun, and it was so encouraging to have Shazia on stage with me, and Tim sitting back stage. He was there, waiting for and offering moral support through all three of my performances.

Six hours later, as the E Street Band was performing at halftime, I received a text telling me that we didn't place, let alone win. I was up against all instruments from sophomores through artist diplomas. Did I really think I had a chance?

As the disappointment settled, I reminded myself that this is not what I will be doing with my life, and that it is okay not to have played the best.

But everything was put in perspective and made worthwhile when I came home to this email from my biggest fan:

Mei mei,

I am very proud of your performance and your hard work in preparation. You did your best and that’s all you can ask for.

Baba