These last few weeks have been quite stressful with many ups and many downs. This past week has added many additional challenges that became the cherry on top of my pile of stressors. With all of this, I have a had to choose to be happy or upset. I wish I could say that I just pulled myself up by my bootstraps and kept on smiling, but unfortunately, I have had my grumpy face on more than I wish to admit.
Luckily, there have also been many wonderful things that have happened this week that just brighten up my entire day. Here are some of those things:
1. We watched this hilarious clip in my Literacy Methods course. I dare you not to laugh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxoUUbMii7Q
2. One of my favorite bus drivers waves quite enthusiastically every time he sees me (this is when I am waiting for a different bus.) He also drops me off at a special, non-designated bus stop closer to my apartment-he even told me that he would like to drive me right to my apartment complex, but he thinks he would get fired if he did...I have no idea how I earned this measure of devotion from this bus driver, but I'll take it!
3. My favorite little boy that I tutor (who had an entire post written about him already) agreed to work with me one day on the condition that it was his last time working with me because he has worked with me "like 10 times!" Naturally, I was sad, but what can you do? So the next day, I asked him who he would like to work with and he told me not me, because yesterday was the last time. Then, when the person in charge told him that he had 10 seconds to choose who he was going to work with or he would choose for him, he came running for where I was sitting on the couch and chose me to work with him. I feel loved. It was really fun...except for his little nose-picking incident, which was just gross.
4. Talking to an old friend again.
5. Seeing my sister, even if it was only for like 4 minutes.
6. Being able to see my best friend everyday, and sometimes laugh so hard that I am almost crying. (That definitely happened today).
7. Having wonderful institute classes that cover just what I need at this point in my life.
8. My cute new roommate who is really fun to talk to...and who likes black and white movies and musicals. I have a feeling we will continue to get along!
9. Signing a housing contract for the fall in the ward I want, the type of room I want, and with the roommate I want! :)
10. A guy in my ward giving me a ride to the mall when he saw me waiting for the bus. Sweet, right?
11. Helping with 6th grade graduation at the school that I tutor at. It was fun seeing all of the 6th graders that I have been working with for the past 2 months "graduate." Their speeches were entertaining!
12. Laughing with one of the other tutors I work with. We have become quite good friends over the past few months, and I'm going to miss seeing her everyday!
13. Flying by the seat of my pants and helping my group come up with an impromptu "great goodbye" meeting in class the day we were conducting the meeting. Don't worry. It turned out beautifully. We played a fun group game that had everybody laughing and said goodbye in Dory-version-whale-talk. Elementary school here I come.
14. I was reminded of how keenly aware our Heavenly Father is of his children.
I know that there were many other things that made me smile or laugh this week, but these are some of my favorites. I will end this very long blog post with a quote that came to mind in retrospect of what has occurred this past week, and looking ahead to what is coming next week.
"...the only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache." - Sister Hinckley
Friday, May 24, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
A Wedding! A Wedding! We're Going to Have a Wedding!
Well recently in my family, we've actually had two. Within a 5-month time frame, both of my older sisters have been sealed for time and all eternity. It's wonderful, and I am truly happy for them. That being said, it doesn't mean that change, as wonderful as it may be, is easy-- a principle that I am learning in many areas of my life right now.
These are some of my favorite memories of time spent with my sisters:
1. Late night giggles
2. Crazy dance parties (with me often being both the dance and the party ;) ).
3. Friday night activities
4. Doing pedicures in our bedrooms
5. The Very, Un-merry Un-birthday party we had for Amanda
6. Creating very original poetry while camping
7. Pulling Andrea around the neighborhood in an old red wagon with an "Oversized Load" sign attached to the back. (To be fair, my brothers were involved in this one too)
8. Telling them all of my funny, crazy, embarrassing life stories and having a good laugh about them
9. The countless of hours of laughing so hard that we cry while playing games with Grandma Walker.
10. Putting together and performing our very own "Bar S Ranch" show for Father's Day
I am looking forward to many more fun memories in the future, as our family continues to grow and change. There are many new chapters waiting to be written in my book of life, some of them closer and newer than I would have imagined And, no, I am not secretly engaged or anything-- my new chapters are composed of very different material than the chapters unfolding for my sisters at present.
Just as a side-note, I made sure that my parents were on the same page as me as far as expectations go now that both of my sisters are married. I just wanted to make sure that they understood that I am expecting some serious spoiling now that I am their only single daughter. :) I didn't hear any rejections to that idea, so I guess that I have their implied consent and agreement. Let the spoiling begin!
These are some of my favorite memories of time spent with my sisters:
1. Late night giggles
2. Crazy dance parties (with me often being both the dance and the party ;) ).
3. Friday night activities
4. Doing pedicures in our bedrooms
5. The Very, Un-merry Un-birthday party we had for Amanda
6. Creating very original poetry while camping
7. Pulling Andrea around the neighborhood in an old red wagon with an "Oversized Load" sign attached to the back. (To be fair, my brothers were involved in this one too)
8. Telling them all of my funny, crazy, embarrassing life stories and having a good laugh about them
9. The countless of hours of laughing so hard that we cry while playing games with Grandma Walker.
10. Putting together and performing our very own "Bar S Ranch" show for Father's Day
I am looking forward to many more fun memories in the future, as our family continues to grow and change. There are many new chapters waiting to be written in my book of life, some of them closer and newer than I would have imagined And, no, I am not secretly engaged or anything-- my new chapters are composed of very different material than the chapters unfolding for my sisters at present.
Just as a side-note, I made sure that my parents were on the same page as me as far as expectations go now that both of my sisters are married. I just wanted to make sure that they understood that I am expecting some serious spoiling now that I am their only single daughter. :) I didn't hear any rejections to that idea, so I guess that I have their implied consent and agreement. Let the spoiling begin!
Monday, May 13, 2013
Are you Sleepy? No....
So, I have the best job in the world, hands down, no competition. I get to work with children in grades K-6 and help them with their homework. I have recently started working with a little boy in 1st grade. He is an obstinate little fellow and tries everything to get out of his homework. These are the things that I love about him the most:
1. He calls every tutor who works with him teacher
2. He has the most adorable smile. :)
3. When he looks at his homework packet or sees anything that is a mess (or is told to do anything that he doesn't want to do) he says, "Oh! What a headache!" in the cutest Spanish accent ever.
Naturally, I look forward to working with him and his adorable personality. Today, he didn't have a homework packet, but I still made him read. Maybe I should mention that he HATES reading. It kind of turns into me reading to him, but I feel like he is still getting some literacy benefits. I try my best to make him help me read, but it is to no avail. I will point to an easy word (today it was to), and ask him what it says. He says, "Teacher- you know what it says!" So, then I try the "I forgot what that word is" technique. To this he responds, "Sound it out!" Well, I am not to be out-smarted, so I tell him that I don't know how to sound it out, and ask if he can tell me what sound the first letter says. He finally gets so fed up with me that he just says the word. I eventually give up, because he focuses much better if I can get him to listen to the story.
One of the books that we read today was based on The Lion King, and he was actually paying attention. As I read, I would look over at him to make sure that he was still listening. About half-way through the book, every time I looked over at him, he would give me one of his heart-melting smiles, but he looked super sleepy. His personality seemed quite subdued, so finally I asked him if he was tired, and he said that he wasn't, so I kept reading. A couple of times, I actually thought that he was about to fall asleep. He kept insisting that he wasn't tired at all. Somehow, his half-shut eyes did not have me convinced.
All in all, it was a fantastic day at work!
1. He calls every tutor who works with him teacher
2. He has the most adorable smile. :)
3. When he looks at his homework packet or sees anything that is a mess (or is told to do anything that he doesn't want to do) he says, "Oh! What a headache!" in the cutest Spanish accent ever.
Naturally, I look forward to working with him and his adorable personality. Today, he didn't have a homework packet, but I still made him read. Maybe I should mention that he HATES reading. It kind of turns into me reading to him, but I feel like he is still getting some literacy benefits. I try my best to make him help me read, but it is to no avail. I will point to an easy word (today it was to), and ask him what it says. He says, "Teacher- you know what it says!" So, then I try the "I forgot what that word is" technique. To this he responds, "Sound it out!" Well, I am not to be out-smarted, so I tell him that I don't know how to sound it out, and ask if he can tell me what sound the first letter says. He finally gets so fed up with me that he just says the word. I eventually give up, because he focuses much better if I can get him to listen to the story.
One of the books that we read today was based on The Lion King, and he was actually paying attention. As I read, I would look over at him to make sure that he was still listening. About half-way through the book, every time I looked over at him, he would give me one of his heart-melting smiles, but he looked super sleepy. His personality seemed quite subdued, so finally I asked him if he was tired, and he said that he wasn't, so I kept reading. A couple of times, I actually thought that he was about to fall asleep. He kept insisting that he wasn't tired at all. Somehow, his half-shut eyes did not have me convinced.
All in all, it was a fantastic day at work!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
How my Blog Came to get its Name
One of the first things that comes to mind when I say balcony is Romeo and Juliet. My balcony scene differs greatly from their's, however, and is in no way romantic. Last Sunday, the weather was very nice, and I thought that I should spend some time outside. I contemplated a walk, but dared not venture on the dreaded Provo Trail alone, so I reverted to the next best thing- my balcony. Before long, a neighbor saw me sitting there and came over and chatted with me for a few minutes and left for a walk.
After a while, I called my sister and tried to go back inside my apartment so that I could hear her (the A.C. was waaaay too loud outside). The key word here is tried, and try I did. While my balcony door was very much unlocked when I went outside (because I was able to open the door to get out) it was definitely locked now. Pull as I might, it would not budge. Not only was I locked out by my balcony, I was locked out by my front door...and I was the one who locked both of them. Just then, my neighbor returned from her walk, and came over to see what the problem was. I had to explain how I locked myself out of my apartment, and after we stopped laughing, we tried to think of how to get me out of this mess. She tracked down our RA's phone number and called them to see if they could come help us out and got an answering machine. (So glad that they are there to help when needed...).
We eventually realized that the clubhouse would be open, because there were ward prayer meetings going on. I climbed over the railing of my balcony, stepped onto the narrow ledge of my porch, and climbed over another railing. This is no small feat, considering that I have to stand on my tip-toes, and swing my legs up over the railing, not to mention the 3-foot gap between my balcony and porch that I could fall through. But, since I have been wanting to increase my flexibility, I really can't complain. We walked through the clubhouse- did I mention that I was barefoot?- trying to sneak quietly past a ward prayer meeting and obtained a master key to let myself into my apartment. (I only had to explain my situation a few times before they understood that it really IS possible to lock oneself out of your apartment, and for a balcony door to magically lock itself behind you). It was quite the adventure for a quiet Sunday evening.
Now, you would think that I would have learned my lesson the first time, but apparently not. If I had, my blog would have been titled "Once Upon a Balcony." Today, I made myself a delicious, healthy lunch, which I decided to enjoy outside in the sunshine. I was not totally trusting of my balcony after my incident last week, so I grabbed my key as I went out. I also made sure that it was very much unlocked before I went out. As soon as I closed the door behind me, I heard a click and became very suspicious. I gave my door a little tug, which soon turned into a rip-your-shoulder-out-of-your-socket pull, but it was all in vain. My door did it again. But, since I had my back-up plan in place, I didn't worry about it and enjoyed my lunch. :) I then embarked in my flexibility training and climbed over the railings and let myself back into my apartment. Moral of the story? Don't trust balcony doors. They don't play by the rules.
And thus, my blog has received a name. :)
After a while, I called my sister and tried to go back inside my apartment so that I could hear her (the A.C. was waaaay too loud outside). The key word here is tried, and try I did. While my balcony door was very much unlocked when I went outside (because I was able to open the door to get out) it was definitely locked now. Pull as I might, it would not budge. Not only was I locked out by my balcony, I was locked out by my front door...and I was the one who locked both of them. Just then, my neighbor returned from her walk, and came over to see what the problem was. I had to explain how I locked myself out of my apartment, and after we stopped laughing, we tried to think of how to get me out of this mess. She tracked down our RA's phone number and called them to see if they could come help us out and got an answering machine. (So glad that they are there to help when needed...).
We eventually realized that the clubhouse would be open, because there were ward prayer meetings going on. I climbed over the railing of my balcony, stepped onto the narrow ledge of my porch, and climbed over another railing. This is no small feat, considering that I have to stand on my tip-toes, and swing my legs up over the railing, not to mention the 3-foot gap between my balcony and porch that I could fall through. But, since I have been wanting to increase my flexibility, I really can't complain. We walked through the clubhouse- did I mention that I was barefoot?- trying to sneak quietly past a ward prayer meeting and obtained a master key to let myself into my apartment. (I only had to explain my situation a few times before they understood that it really IS possible to lock oneself out of your apartment, and for a balcony door to magically lock itself behind you). It was quite the adventure for a quiet Sunday evening.
Now, you would think that I would have learned my lesson the first time, but apparently not. If I had, my blog would have been titled "Once Upon a Balcony." Today, I made myself a delicious, healthy lunch, which I decided to enjoy outside in the sunshine. I was not totally trusting of my balcony after my incident last week, so I grabbed my key as I went out. I also made sure that it was very much unlocked before I went out. As soon as I closed the door behind me, I heard a click and became very suspicious. I gave my door a little tug, which soon turned into a rip-your-shoulder-out-of-your-socket pull, but it was all in vain. My door did it again. But, since I had my back-up plan in place, I didn't worry about it and enjoyed my lunch. :) I then embarked in my flexibility training and climbed over the railings and let myself back into my apartment. Moral of the story? Don't trust balcony doors. They don't play by the rules.
And thus, my blog has received a name. :)
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