tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57416883384888053352024-03-05T16:05:50.067-08:00A Day's March Nearer Homethoughts on living by faith until all is made wellLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-37250573436172180522014-02-01T10:22:00.001-08:002014-02-01T10:22:35.274-08:00My blog has moved!<a href="http://laura.austinfam.net/">My blog</a> has a new address! You'll find me at <a href="http://laura.austinfam.net/">laura.austinfam.net</a>. Come on over!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-89596083078507747562011-11-04T00:04:00.000-07:002011-11-04T00:19:27.005-07:00Close callThe wisdom found in the theme song from the 80's t.v. show <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078610/">The Facts of Life</a> really applies to my week so far: you gotta take the good, and take the bad. <br />
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Monday: Halloween. 34 nine-year-olds. Lots of sugar. Controlled chaos. Exhausting, but all in all, a really fun day. And I will never grow tired of introducing a child to the joy of watching <i>It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! </i><br />
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<i> </i>"I got a rock." (Been there, Charlie Brown. Been there.)</div>
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Tuesday: Awesome day of teaching. They were engaged. They listened intently. We laughed. We watched dry ice sublimate. We all learned something. I finished the day thinking, "I love my job!" <br />
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Wednesday: Awful day of teaching. I wanted to bang my head against the wall during the math lesson. They just weren't getting it. I explained it 5 different ways. And they still didn't understand. And the day didn't ever go up from there. They talked. A lot. It was windy outside, and that just makes them all a little nutty. I had mountains of tasks to complete. I ended the day feeling like a complete failure. And you know, that's always fun. <br />
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Thursday: A day off from work. So. Thankful. For. That. It's amazing how 11 hours of sleep and an excessive amount of time in my pj's will give me a whole new perspective on things.<br />
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It's a close one, but I think when I add in a few really great conversations I had with some of the wonderful people in my life and a rockin' party that I'm headed to tomorrow night, the scale's gonna tip toward me ending up with a good week. Phew!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-4789578697505985062011-10-30T09:20:00.000-07:002011-10-30T09:20:40.237-07:00A little re-decorating funI've been wanting to re-style the blank and boring corner of my bedroom for a few months.<br />
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My mom and I had a wonderful day together on Tuesday, which included yummy lunch and a trip to Home Goods. Which really should be called Home Greats because wow, it's awesome. After our shopping adventure, I came home and arranged and re-arranged, and then re-arranged again, a few new purchases and a few pieces that I already owned. And I really love the end result! </div>
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I have a dream of making my own headboard someday, but until I make time to get that done, I improvised. I used a framed verse that used to be in the living room (my mom did the calligraphy!) and the mirrors that used to be on the wall by the window. </div>
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(Yes, that's a stuffed animal on my bed. I may or may not tuck him in with me each night. Don't judge.)</div>
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I absolutely LOVE the shutter/frame thingy. It's my favorite. No, wait. The clock's my favorite. But then again, the lamp is lovely, too. Any how, I needed some brown on the other side of the room to tie it all together. I brought up a captain's chair I got from my nana's house (maybe from the 70's?) that I've been storing in the garage. I don't love the details on the back part of it, so I covered it up with some fabric. And added a hot pink pillow because that's always a surefire solution to any problem. </div>
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Done and done. =o)</div>
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-47388699551248237192011-10-30T09:18:00.000-07:002011-10-30T09:23:05.746-07:00Best. Decision. Ever.Last spring, I made <a href="http://daysmarch.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-dream.html">a big decision to teach part-time</a>. And now, here at the end of October, I find myself two months into my new schedule and simplified life. Guess what? It's totally awesome. =) No, really. I am SO thankful that God made it possible for me to team teach and that he gave me the courage to go for it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Some wide open space and the beautiful sky from a weekend trip I went on to Arizona.</i></span></div>
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There are lots of things I could share about how I'm filling my time and things I'm learning in this new season, but for now, here are three observations:<br />
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<i><b>I'm doing a lot of the same things I was before, but now I have time to actually enjoy myself while I'm doing them.</b> </i> I'm still teaching and loving kids, ministering at church, hanging out with friends and family, homemaking and hostessing. But I'm not stressed as I do all those things! I may have shifted my teaching schedule to part-time, but I'm still living life full-time. <br />
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<b><i>I'm smiling a lot.</i> </b>When I first decided to make this big change, lots of people would ask me what I wanted to do with my extra time. On many occasions, I would list off a few things and then make a joke along the lines of, "And, you know, it'd be fun if I could fill the space I'll have with a tall, wonderful guy! We'll see what happens..." Lo and behold, not even a month into my summer, I started dating this really incredible guy. And he's totally tall! Way to hit your cue, Travis. He is a super duper fun person to spend my extra time with. And he makes me smile. A lot. =D<br />
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<i><b>My closet is still a hot mess. </b></i>Turns out that no matter how much extra time I have to do chores, I am still horrible at doing laundry efficiently. I don't know what my deal is. I keep trying to figure out a new system that will save me from drowning in a pile of clothes, but so far, just shutting the closet door is the only thing that's working. I think I'm okay with this, but if you hear me complaining about not having any money to go shopping for new clothes, just tell me to go do laundry. I'm sure I'll find something great that I completely forgot I own, and I won't have to spend a dime!<br />
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<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-8522462456146463162011-06-29T15:38:00.000-07:002011-06-29T16:43:16.455-07:00Simple Blessings<div style="text-align: left;">A friend of mine once told me a story about her son who was about to celebrate his 6th birthday. They were in the store looking for plates and napkins, and they were having some trouble picking a theme. She was holding up all the boy options (Thomas the train, super heroes, etc.), but he kept pointing to the girl options (pinks and purples abounding) with the explanation that he knew his little sister would like those. My friend said to him, "But son, this is a party for you. Which one do you want?" And he responded with something to the effect of, "I want to pick one that she'll like, Mom! Let me bless her!"</div><div><br /></div><div>This saying had taken a place in this little guy's heart because his dad says it to him often when giving to him. And what a beautiful way to sum up our gracious heavenly Father's love towards us- "Let me bless you!" Yet, my heart often feels guilty for enjoying grace and I hear the whisper of "You don't deserve any of this!" Jesus is helping me courageously yell back, "I know that! But God wants to bless me anyway! He's that lovely!"</div><div><br /></div><div>As I recover from the school year, I'm finding myself enjoying lots of little blessings. Here's a snapshot of a few of them:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A pretty bowl of colorful fruit that makes me smile whenever I walk into my kitchen.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpsYDsvtCOjioO7FtR_Nh6313jCItY0x5knWPZL7_MQsxx0f25uVqi6rdN7muRHjFivu5zPCQ1KcwlIY_Nxi_8zuSs_u76n5lJuwrzy30rmy1Kputr9Wdo91Ejdest-geQ6a1zI85jeS-/s320/IMG_4577.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Going swimming and having lunch down by the pool</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzFN5L14_TE0CEvE-sk6no2cvpa8uFj1rKQnw5r8eC5jZAHixQ5bgXz0ugU8UvoeSEJ7wiv62b2DdN6Ygj5WfY2xrmF0sZVnXTqnlqB0LJYkx6o2Q90qNdEC30UvGKpBYT8X9Gu8qYCdW/s320/IMAG0587-1.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sweet stories from <a href="http://www.kidsadventureweek.org/">Adventure Week</a>: a little 6-year-old saying to the actor telling the story of Joseph, "You are adorable!" And another little friend turning to her neighbor during story time and saying, "God's in every story!" So true!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Turning leftover morning coffee into this yummy treat-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8XIkuzsfOHPeLU2RtDkg39EPDMyj0XxEoVx0aXTuuFqP_kgwosB6ExfJ74TPPjWS9expVVkZ3IFzVV9H7QuyVeOKMb9dilWrzQwt5y7rzZkxaWdLaSnHjCd8piCWzQ7mhTLscpOV-yIL/s320/IMG_4580.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And verse 2 from the book of Jude- </div><div style="text-align: center;">Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let him bless you!</div><div><br /></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-25240295911372326042011-06-24T01:26:00.000-07:002011-06-24T01:28:40.584-07:00Makeover!A Day's March Nearer Home had a little styling done. What do you think?Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-79775312302973619492011-06-23T20:56:00.000-07:002011-06-24T01:25:46.860-07:00Just a little note...I love hand written notes. Words of affirmation are my number one love language, and I love paper. So, a handwritten note just makes me happy. =o)<br /><br />I ran across this note that my parents wrote to me FOREVER ago. I think I was in 1st or 2nd grade, and they left it on my desk after going to Back to School Night:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEf_-SHNfEyTFsJb-9T04tSmA4saKzKGynkxZUUmkTjOKs8Rw2TO5rOxr2xSW4rAO9mhW55Uwr8GByZVPrk_xrUcIJXByVedKWfNxOGiaZYdrqSBE3iDfcxbhO19DuHa-YWuoYjqmldD6h/s1600/IMG_4551.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEf_-SHNfEyTFsJb-9T04tSmA4saKzKGynkxZUUmkTjOKs8Rw2TO5rOxr2xSW4rAO9mhW55Uwr8GByZVPrk_xrUcIJXByVedKWfNxOGiaZYdrqSBE3iDfcxbhO19DuHa-YWuoYjqmldD6h/s320/IMG_4551.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><blockquote><b>Hi Laura, </b><div><b>Daddy loves you. I * am proud that you read and like school. Keep studying hard and be kind to everyone. </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Love,</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Daddy</b></div><div><i>*Here he switches to block printing. I can imagine my mom leaning over and saying, "Larry, she can't read cursive yet." </i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dear Laura, </b></div><div><b>It's fun to sit at your desk and write with your chocolate pencil**. I love you and I am very proud of you.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Love,</b></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Mommy</b></div><i>**Yep, a chocolate pencil. Scatch and sniff. Totally my favorite.</i><br /></div></blockquote><div>And even though they wrote that note a long time ago, it still encourages me every time I see it. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the last day of school last week, I received a note from one of my students that I think will become a life-long encouragement. It really speaks for itself:</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCt9uQiUzNn1ioZhiOOPBwFbWb6PG4oohCeJuNoerkt4sa3nlpsB3Jf-uUtvywr5YqBMWGpe_I-AKrR_ANoTXb3Wk69fiQkUjWj3dQVo8saJqslj5dfnSWtryrEw_zox-IXS5qgtfpi4Tn/s1600/IMG_4554.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCt9uQiUzNn1ioZhiOOPBwFbWb6PG4oohCeJuNoerkt4sa3nlpsB3Jf-uUtvywr5YqBMWGpe_I-AKrR_ANoTXb3Wk69fiQkUjWj3dQVo8saJqslj5dfnSWtryrEw_zox-IXS5qgtfpi4Tn/s320/IMG_4554.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "><b>Dearest Miss HasBrouck,</b> <i>(dearest- so sweet!)</i></div><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "><i></i><b>Here's a hand when you need one. It's not much, but it's my hand...</b></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "></div><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; ">It left me speechless when I read it the first time. So lovely! One of my friends pointed out that these kind words will be exactly what my sweet student suggested- a helping hand when I need some encouragement. I'm thinking of framing it and hanging it up so I can see it often. </div><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; ">So, let's all grab a pen and some paper, and write someone a simple little note. But first, I wouldn't want you to leave today without your own little bit of encouragement:</div><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "><b>Dear Blog Reader,</b></div><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "><b>Thanks for stopping by! God loves you greatly, and he wants to bless you. His grace is abundant. I hope you see something today that makes you smile. </b></div><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "><b>Love,</b></div><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "><b>Laura</b></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "> </div></div><div style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "></div><div style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; "><br /></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-3121459839222735552011-05-20T13:45:00.000-07:002011-05-20T14:56:36.268-07:00Starfish Files: Poppins, Paper, and PuzzlersI had a really lovely day with my students today, and I am extra thankful for it because the beginning of the week was a little rough. Let's just say that a few of my students know how to really push my buttons, and we're at that extreme button pushing time of the school year. But, I've been asking people to pray for extra patience and wisdom for me, and I saw the Lord provide that today. The fun day we had today reminded me of the other lovely things that have been going on (why do only the negative parts of my day stand out sometimes? Lame!), so for this edition of the <a href="http://daysmarch.blogspot.com/2010/02/starfish-files.html">Starfish Files</a>, here are some recent highlights:<br /><ul><li>We finished state testing (woo hoo!), and I am really proud of how hard my kids worked. As a reward, we watched the movie <span style="font-style: italic;">Mary Poppins</span>, and get this- 21 of my 30 students had never seen it before! Once I got over the shock of that statistic, I felt like I had truly accomplished something by introducing them to such a classic. How had they successfully navigated through life thus far without knowing that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down?</li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4EHZMearzLdgGEsM0VxmAmpNUUC5QDJA-ARjYzp8w3BkTrE-It6BiPQDMhSHq7QRRrpRGFJDVq3LwYtf-5evuY9UeBGxWAfuHLP1Ly5PoEr0EdrUM-_d23hWv4Y15Qo2aUcl3XrHINz_/s1600/poppins_1382480c.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4EHZMearzLdgGEsM0VxmAmpNUUC5QDJA-ARjYzp8w3BkTrE-It6BiPQDMhSHq7QRRrpRGFJDVq3LwYtf-5evuY9UeBGxWAfuHLP1Ly5PoEr0EdrUM-_d23hWv4Y15Qo2aUcl3XrHINz_/s320/poppins_1382480c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608906086065396386" border="0" /></a><ul><li><a href="http://daysmarch.blogspot.com/2011/03/starfish-files-good-lesson-learned.html">Fonzie</a> has started an origami craze that is sweeping the 4th grade. It began with him teaching a couple of kids how to make a paper crane, and now they've got books with instructions and every color paper you can imagine. Here are some of their recent creations:</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://goo.gl/photos/wnSE8MmfHB" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITXA1bTxrSSWJZjh_CsqayfIJp_EEVwUYxuVguwj2v7elByTsUCBZk7v3KyA9Cu0Fwj3nPHu1YiQ4vJRP2ZbIq06NbW5lbAWbd94I1u-YZ7IuHGTd39tVoOnXVR13h6EZAfRYOASKg0Tn/s512/IMAG0557.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><ul><li>Today we had quite an interesting discussion about how the end of the world is predicted for tomorrow. As you can imagine, the conversation went all over the place. I loved it. They threw some awesome questions at me, and my favorites were: 1) Is it true that everyone dies, but not everyone lives? and 2) Can God make a rock that he can't move? I had fun figuring out how to answer them. I gave more of an explanation during the actual discussion, but my basic answers to each were yes to number one and no to number two. How would you have answered?</li></ul> <br /></div></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-58071186130528388552011-04-13T15:39:00.000-07:002011-05-13T17:08:09.127-07:00A New DreamSome of you may have already heard my recent big news, but I just wanted to make it really official by blogging about it:<br /><br />Starting this fall, I'm going to be teaching <span style="font-weight: bold;">part time</span>! I have decided to job share with my dear friend Amy, which means we will share the responsibilities of teaching one class of 4th graders. My work week will go from Thursday through Wednesday, so I'll teach Thursday, Friday, have a weekend, teach Monday through Wednesday, and then (here's the best part) I'll have a week off!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6sRy7solOxYNj2D7CMfrG_PeDy841N2kEG3kFvMlJgydryR8vQmGBLsfNGGVb4vhV5uwsJB7qOMdLJOTMo26_muLRKPq9vxfdB5Su2jFry-9rpF0XrXLWofcwbUHDNmZ61ErfW0K2_a-/s1600/job+share+letter.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6sRy7solOxYNj2D7CMfrG_PeDy841N2kEG3kFvMlJgydryR8vQmGBLsfNGGVb4vhV5uwsJB7qOMdLJOTMo26_muLRKPq9vxfdB5Su2jFry-9rpF0XrXLWofcwbUHDNmZ61ErfW0K2_a-/s320/job+share+letter.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606326755751752706" border="0" /></a><br />I am very excited about this big change! It is a risky move, since if I decide to go back to full time at some point in the future, I just have to take whatever position is available (i.e. I may have to change grade levels or move to a different school). Plus, you know, if you only work half the time, they'll only pay you half your salary.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/X5nrf-G8Mn4fnmWyVx4BX5iC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img style="width: 310px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUL7z3hL25I4b8Nd6gJZhYl0lwcphpyqWd0ufKIrTdEwKg0oO8jluRhyRsQraS46Vqa3UdsTSnq6slcJKjqKu0iRJ4joaNc5s53Z41IBUu4fA_82Sx5lbvvDemsBr-zvPW2v71eKxSKALL/s640/salary%20cut.jpg" /></a></div><br />Yes, it's a drastic budget change, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. Currently, my highest commodity is my time. I often pay someone else or pay extra to save myself time. Next year, I'll have time to be able to save money. You know what I mean?<br /><br />Now, here are simple answers to the two questions I know you're just dying to ask:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Why are you doing this? </span><br />Well, here's the thing. I never planned or wanted a 9 year teaching career. But that's what I've got. And it has been wonderful, and I am OFTEN amazed by the grace and blessings that God gives me through teaching. Which is why I'm so thankful that I get to keep working with kids on a part time basis. <span style="font-weight: bold;">But</span>, I also have many other interests and desires, and I need some space in my life to let myself dream and breath a little. Summer breaks are awesome, but the remaining part of my year is just nutty. As a full time teacher, I find myself stuck in the cycle of "I'm crazy busy and emotionally and physically tired for most of the year, then I have a few weeks to recover, then I'm right back to the insanity". So, I'm popping myself out of that cycle, in hopes that I can find more balance throughout my year.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What are you going to do with all your extra time?</span> <br />I'm not really sure yet. One of my rules for myself is 'Don't make big decisions when you're tired' and since the school year is still going strong, guess what? I'm tired. So, I'm waiting until summer to make decisions about my free time. Here are some things I'd like to do more of: writing, sleeping, reading, working out, using coupons (I'm a dork), homemaking, meeting with friends, visiting my parents and grandparents, and creating...who knows what. Doesn't that sound lovely? I will need some part time work, so I'm exploring some options, but not committing to anything yet. I'll have more time to have dinner with fun people (and I won't have any money for food!), so feel free to invite me over! =o)<br /><br />I just recently saw the Disney movie <span style="font-style: italic;">Tangled</span> for the first time, and I connected with the main character, Rapunzel, more than is probably normal. One scene in particular beautifully captures how my heart is doing these days as I process how my decision to leave full time teaching will affect my life. Rapunzel has just left her tower for the first time ever, and she's dealing with the ups and downs of her big decision. Sidenote: Rapunzel is worried about how her mom will be angry about the decision- I do not relate to this piece of her story. Both of my parents are super supportive of what I'm doing!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UTHmHZaheC4?rel=0" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I would appreciate prayer for the road that lays before me- may God give me wisdom and creativity with the time that I'll have available to me. And hopefully, if you ask me how I'm doing, I'll be able to say, "BEST DAY EVER!"<br /></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-52121252471795578602011-03-08T19:42:00.000-08:002011-03-08T22:11:10.247-08:00Starfish Files: Well, that's one way to learn a lesson<span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;">More evidence that 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> graders are hilarious:<br /><br />Scene: <span style="font-style: italic;">The class is enjoying some silent reading time, and they're all cute and comfy since they're wearing their pajamas for a special school-wide reading day. One little dude, I'll call him <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Fozzie</span> (yes, because he reminds me of the bear from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Muppets</span>), is sitting near me as I work on something. He begins to chat with me and gets away with it since he's highly entertaining. </span><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Fozzie</span>: Miss <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">HasBrouck</span>, what's the worst mistake you ever made?<br /><br />Me: Oh, gosh. I'm not sure. I'll have to think about it. Do you know the worst mistake you've ever made?<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Fozzie</span>: Oh, yeah. For sure.<br /><br />Me: Do you want to tell me the story?<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Fozzie</span>: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Umm</span>, well, it's personal.<br /><br />Me: You don't have to tell me. . .<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Fozzie</span>: (with a little smile) Well, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">ok</span>. So, one day my mom sent me upstairs with her key to use the restroom and I tried and tried to get the door unlocked and I just couldn't. I was turning it and twisting and pushing </span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">and, yeah, well. . . I pooped my own pants.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Cue the giggling for both the student and the teacher, who really didn't see that one coming. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And the conversation could have ended there as a pretty good story. But it kept going and really went for gold.</span><br /><br />Me: Wow, that's a bummer, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Fozzie</span>. I, um, don't even really know what to say. So, what lesson did you learn from that big mistake?<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Fozzie</span>: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Righty</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">tighty</span>, lefty <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">loosey</span>. My brother taught me afterwards.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Cue the out-right laughter from the teacher that distracted the entire class. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Fozzie's</span> one funny bear. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27LKE-rmwH492oPjOAW-VW0AVyxxVABmMuqZuu648Xyk0c_4fryaUPiZczMl2pTSBAcBaBVtSMj6ilkfIaL-Hm5zQ2nmyloP080ULZZWpQIMnLqa16lP69_ZIrKc6lEdzLYaoJtNRQIJl/s1600/Fozzie-Bear.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27LKE-rmwH492oPjOAW-VW0AVyxxVABmMuqZuu648Xyk0c_4fryaUPiZczMl2pTSBAcBaBVtSMj6ilkfIaL-Hm5zQ2nmyloP080ULZZWpQIMnLqa16lP69_ZIrKc6lEdzLYaoJtNRQIJl/s320/Fozzie-Bear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581954766557241154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-58199463367064955482011-02-01T10:52:00.000-08:002011-02-01T13:55:13.053-08:00Tenderhearted<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizo5Q4yVNdaUeV8BcZlnyH6XNPnD-jLb17zJida5YFBmlo9xq_5AA2vUh6KZeY9O14tKNtDC50NbzU05JuGcHfJO9ti1ksukBiQEX7IYW1dfXfqBObyHPhyFlT0aCwF1wrHugsQpUG2aXK/s1600/charlie20brown20and20snoopy20-20133854.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizo5Q4yVNdaUeV8BcZlnyH6XNPnD-jLb17zJida5YFBmlo9xq_5AA2vUh6KZeY9O14tKNtDC50NbzU05JuGcHfJO9ti1ksukBiQEX7IYW1dfXfqBObyHPhyFlT0aCwF1wrHugsQpUG2aXK/s320/charlie20brown20and20snoopy20-20133854.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568833791312852130" border="0" /></a><br />Last week, right in the middle of teaching a geometry lesson, I noticed that J., one of my little guys, had huge tears welling up in his eyes. 4th grade tears tend to occur right after a recess conflict or injury, not in the middle of math (I think they save math tears for homework time or junior high), so I quickly got the other kids working on something and talked to him outside for a minute. J. is very quiet and reserved, so he's a bit of an onion- getting to know him this year has involved peeling back a whole lot of layers. I was very curious to hear what had made this amount of emotion actually surface for him.<br /><br />In between sobs, J. said he wanted to tell me that his dog had died the night before. Her name was Roxy and she'd been in their family since before J. was born. Unfortunately, they had to put her to sleep because she had a tumor. And something just brought her to J.'s mind in the middle of class. And he was sad.<br /><br />As we came back inside, I prayed and asked the Lord to comfort J.'s little heart and to give me wisdom for how to care for him well. J. gave me permission to tell the class about his dog, so I did so later on when he was out of the room. My other students responded with looks and remarks of sadness and understanding, and we had a little discussion of how to show J. that we care about him (i.e. yes, let's make cards and draw pictures for J./no, let's not all tell him stories of all of our own pets that have died). As the week went on, it was a beautiful thing to watch my kids learn and practice the art of empathy.<br /><br />My own response to the situation was markedly different than it would have been a few years ago. I'm really thankful for the way God is softening my heart with a Gospel truth- life is full of pain and loss and if we just brush it aside, we miss the beautiful way God is redeeming it all through the work of Christ.<br /><br />I'm not saying that I was completely cold-hearted or unfeeling in the past, but I was much more uncomfortable with sadness. Giving the expected 'Oh, that's too bad' response and then seeking distraction was my typical mode of operation. But over the last year, Jesus has been teaching me a lot about acknowledging losses (both big and small- you can decide where losing a pet falls on that spectrum for you), giving them to him in prayer, and then waiting to see how the Spirit moves us to grieve and rejoice in the midst of it all- abundant life indeed.<br /><br />That connection between grieving and rejoicing was made clear again yesterday during Room 25's Monday ritual of "Weekend News". When we got around to J.'s group, he raised his hand to share, which he rarely does. And when he told us that his family got a new dog this weekend- a pit bull named Rudy- the whole class responded with instantaneous applause and smiles. Lovely.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-10798464424346403902011-01-26T21:10:00.000-08:002011-01-27T22:41:38.357-08:00Thankful Thursday: January 27thFirst of all, I'm thankful that there's no such thing as the blog-police who give fines for blog neglect. Because I'd be in trouble.<br /><br />I'm also thankful that I'm feeling well tonight. I was sick all day Sunday, and I really didn't feel like myself until today. It's nice to have a little bit of energy again.<br /><br />Monday morning was rough since I was not feeling well, and my to-do list at work just seemed scary. But, one of my sweet students made my morning by giving me a little gift and note:<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wozZaDd9ZRc_CXMkh4ZIMJKzo2NVCKsnj6Wfbb3dDm4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxg5wnMaxUo6F72m2MRbWBbJqrykmdubVVR0cJoKB0E2_jHGwiwCk-ZQP42suk9PAzbVEWImI9U0jYk4k-LuYHCi2xNbZpFQ9oRDm25Fgkfrxps_yM7rhZeqUlBuGYiNNoN62PZbGX84wK/s400/IMAG0335.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a><br /><br />I'm thankful for my kind students that love me well. =o)<br /><br />And tonight, I am super thankful that the Lord gave me the strength to get a whole lot of grading done. I've been way behind this month- I've brought the same stack of papers home for two weekends in a row, but they just sit in my bag and then go back to school ungraded. Poor, little papers. After school today I loaded them up again, feeling frustrated and doubting that I'd get anything else done. But, Debs and Karissa had work to do too, so we just went to town and got a ton done!<br /><br /><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8tkjzuqXBFy9U_vDwAIJl5Kzo2NVCKsnj6Wfbb3dDm4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZAOYrw17Cn8VIRM-x4YLPgbppe62CAavm1mQvNhD0Gj05r387IVo99DWdWWMRTDdKDI34vH8AXPg08yhi01MKKXAP6OFvJ_gyBNYpUKflbckmhmuzyqKdK8lYcq3EIbiTSrcD0Gq-cm1/s400/IMAG0350.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a><br /><br />And get this, I kind of enjoyed it! We're at that point in the year where my little 4th graders are showing a lot of growth. It's fun to be a part of the process and see what they're learning.<br /><br />I'm thankful for moments when I really love my job.<br /><br />But I'm also really thankful that tomorrow's Friday. =o)Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-56099015107936145922010-12-13T12:08:00.000-08:002010-12-13T13:47:53.307-08:00Whoa! That's quite a rollercoaster!Today is really a mixed-bag kind of day. Here's a run-down:<br /><br />Getting up at 5 am to put together sub plans: lame. (There is something intrinsically wrong about driving to work with my headlights on)<br /><br />Reporting for jury duty at 8 am for the 2nd time in 18 months: also lame. *See below for boring backstory<br /><br />Feeling proud to be an American citizen and exercise my civic duty: fleeting moment.<br /><br />Enjoying some wait time in the juror room because my name wasn't called for the first trial, getting some grading done, and hoping I can get excused: pretty good.<br /><br />Being told to return tomorrow at 9 am to be in the selection process for a trial that will last 10 days: ARE YOU KIDDING ME?<br /><br />Explaining that I really need a postponement and apologizing for not doing that in the first place: humbling.<br /><br />Being told that I'll still have to come tomorrow and explain my specific situation to the judge who may or may not excuse me: irritating, but somewhat hopeful.<br /><br />Holding back the tears because that is SO not what I wanted to have happen: I'm a big baby.<br /><br />Getting released at 10 am and having the rest of the day off: lovely.<br /><br />Feeling guilty about having the day off: really lame.<br /><br />Feeling stupid for feeling guilty about having the day off since I actually have a few hours of work to do on my report cards and new sub plans for tomorrow, so I should really just be thankful for extra time to get it all done: confusing and seriously ridiculous.<br /><br />Remembering that although my emotions can take me on a roller coaster ride, God is unchanging and loving and he'll help me sort it all out: encouraging.<br /><br />Having a little time to blog: fun.<br /><br />Finding a funny cookie monster clip that perfectly communicates how I'm feeling: excellent.<br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wGSzqqcl62c?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wGSzqqcl62c?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br /><br />Subsequently discovering another Sesame Street clip with my celebrity crush, Jason Bateman: comforting. =)<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ij71DXDgvz0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ij71DXDgvz0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br />I'm praying that you're able to seek the Lord in the midst of your ups and downs of today! And call me or Elmo if you need a hug!<br /><br />*Boring Backstory- I received a jury summons a couple months ago that told me to call in last Friday afternoon. This is my 3rd jury summons in the last few years- lucky me! The first time I had to call in and my group was excused without me ever having to report to the court. The second time, I postponed it until summer break, which means I had to go in (postponing forfeits the call in option), and I was put on a trial that lasted for three days. Three strikes and you're out, Mr. Drunk Driver. So, this time I took a risk, and just decided to call in and hope that my juror group would not be asked to report. By definition, a risk has a chance to fail, and that's what happened. Ignorance was bliss all day Saturday since I forgot to call on Friday, but that meant that I didn't know I needed to write sub plans until about 5 pm on Sunday when I finally remembered to call in. Hence the early morning.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-50848945220260200812010-11-03T21:36:00.000-07:002010-11-03T22:30:22.666-07:00Did you. . .Tonight I loaded the dishwasher with my tetris-honed skills, but when I pushed the start button, nothing happened. Uh-oh. <br /><br />More button pushing ensued, items were rearranged, the door was closed harder, then softer, then harder again. Nothing. Roommate came out and went through the same motions. Still nothing.<br /><br />Shoot.<br /><br />See, I have been quite spoiled when it comes to dishwashers- every place I've ever lived has had one. And I really have no intention of changing that pattern. So, when ours wouldn't start tonight, my first thought was, "How can I get this fixed for free and as quickly as possible so that I don't have to hand wash that load of dishes in there." There is no shame in being high maintenance as long as you're willing to admit it. <br /><br />The phrase "we need a man around here" gets thrown around more times than I can keep track of, and tonight was no exception. Thankfully, I knew I could send out an S.O.S. on facebook and one of our wonderfully helpful guy friends would take a look at it at Dinner Club tomorrow night and hopefully solve the problem. <br /><br />But I decided to try one more thing before sending out for help. I set aside my initial female thoughts and feelings ("It's broken. I feel too tired to clean all those dishes tonight. What if it's expensive to fix or if I have to buy a new one? Ooh, maybe I can get one in a cool color.") and then I took a moment to think like a man. And I immediately knew the very first question that Mr. Fix-It would ask when he arrived on the scene:<br /><br />"Did you try unplugging it and then plugging it back in?" <br /><br />Huh. A plug for the dishwasher. The appliance that I normally categorize as water-based. Where in the world does that thing get its power? I proceeded to go on a hunt under the sink and low and behold, there was the dishwasher plug that had come a little loose from it's outlet. So, I pushed that bad boy in and botta-bing-botta-boom, the dishwasher is humming away as I write. <br /><br />Any high fives for my incredible feat will be gladly accepted, both via a blog comment or in person.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-33143115027303428062010-10-30T22:06:00.001-07:002010-10-30T23:31:34.966-07:00Pick One SpotI love to organize things, but recently my to-do list at home has been overwhelming me a bit. My trip to Europe kept me from getting my regular summer cleaning done (oh, darn) and having my sister move in with us has made everything a little more smooshed than normal. She's totally worth it, but it's an adjustment. =)<br /><br />I've probably got a dozen little projects I'd like to take care of, but as the list grows longer, my motivation seems to get less and less.<br /><br />I'd prefer to just snap my fingers and wish that I was Mary Poppins, but instead, I've decided to follow the advice of the ladies that write a blog I read called <a href="http://www.girltalkhome.com/">Girl Talk</a>. A couple of years ago, they suggested that we <a href="http://www.girltalkhome.com/blog/Pick_One_Spot">"Pick One Spot"</a> to clean or reorganize, instead of thinking of the big, overwhelming list of things that you need to do at home. They also had a contest to see which reader could turn in the most impressive before and after pictures of mini-projects and I loved seeing the results. Make-overs of all shapes and sizes make me happy, so I'm hoping that documenting my own befores and afters will be inspiring! <br /><br />I started with my laundry room, but I forgot to take pictures since the idea of blogging about it hadn't occurred to me yet. Sorry. But, you can come over any time and check it out. It looks great, mostly because I tamed all the Trader Joe's bags that were out of control in there.<br /><br />I just had to get outside in the beautiful weather today, so my front porch seemed like a good option for my second "Pick One Spot". It gets direct sun all morning and I'm not the greatest at remembering to water, so it's sadly a place where plants come to die. I've tried to change this tragic occurrence, but I'm just not quite there yet. Things really went downhill when I was gone for a month in the summertime, so we've been displaying excellent examples of plant carcasses for about two months now. Here are some before shots:<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/B8FIHFRS1kyXPthRK0kZJJKzo2NVCKsnj6Wfbb3dDm4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCYOm1hm4DnoU2byjJ2JWAkesz8WOhuy5Wvq6c-cXMwea6NUEQH_rV_fSGwF41_hALhmVV7CunbGKtRzryTSyWLkmflI2a0c1mebvPm32_TorizEC0ZoMuH31yl7GL5r35dLeyvjVMJOI/s400/IMAG0145.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a><br /><br />A couple little friends were still showing some green and putting up a fight, but they were still a hot mess. <br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JrKP7hinXkh91tx6Xbo6UpKzo2NVCKsnj6Wfbb3dDm4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4a3HJ-npMJFYjnUZu7bzdIcfuQhMMHDmI_gdDOwL9NPLq4mvr-i8cGmvuHeK9pjUW5pNo9hSFQDyQy3Xj0Cj8-NZP2wrUoAEOtMVtqHAoyWju4lxj4V-Rwb1u9XjUDBbj6W4w3C5_8ge/s400/IMAG0146.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a><br /><br />And then here are the after shots! I really like how it turned out- newly potted plants, a swept porch, a delightful pumpkin. My favorite thing is the little pot covered in chalkboard paint that I made a while back and am finally using. <br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/eTU8XGWe389cz8HYhG2JEpKzo2NVCKsnj6Wfbb3dDm4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaZu2-kTQlsq7xM6EfYsN30VyYR8c22KmoyaQcO21zNJ3n2UzWXRtyGZ7aEQfJVHQ-5sxxLFRsV58WgoLnBfW6sJCyMIOp-Oyp6cd7kYMamTjiujUnIBatU_o3NJcdC5QbMyXv9aYhJ98/s400/IMAG0151.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LpDEyMNbHTdAI3CJR2y_UJKzo2NVCKsnj6Wfbb3dDm4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1O4PkeTnP1e5_5C5Hai1abXPnGZPUmkvbgXdRhpvHD57GF_kP_6BSnCXv8vXajTDt6XVh-LM5MEtL7e-JD4wj7s3XLr86H5bmXIMFJ7gvHOwr10INxMm7EBn2FdlRQ_jwVh2icWmRRaU/s400/IMAG0152.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a><br /><br />And thanks to a 40% off coupon from Michael's and fall ribbon that's already on sale to make room for Christmas, we have a new door decoration. Lovely.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DCOudPg4z9GM87F8iaxePZKzo2NVCKsnj6Wfbb3dDm4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreb5YMY24a0o0ABdfOwZoserSHiyxkSLKnv0gPSFazuIlyZsA3MOSLqtt4dAOrShv-d-75DWOpXTp36r00RCcA0Lz-7SQYdpWSw2_DY-oZjl7gcnI1mxQ9ZJqJBEWD59IcaBMl0OY7ARW/s400/IMAG0159.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a><br /><br />Three cheers for setting attainable goals! =) Send me pictures if you decide to pick one spot!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-14171649805965307222010-09-04T15:47:00.000-07:002010-09-04T16:55:01.128-07:00New StarfishNew school year, new <a href="http://daysmarch.blogspot.com/2010/02/starfish-files.html">starfish files</a>. 30 new little people, each with their own little personalities and life stories.<br /><br />I thought you might like to see some of their self-portraits. Well, self-portraits if they were a part of the Peanuts Gang. Last year I realized how easy it is to draw Charlie Brown, so I gave my class a little lesson on how to draw themselves with a big, round head and a capital 'C' for a nose, and then I let them loose. They also wrote a few adjectives that describe them. I miss my kiddos from last year's class (a lot, actually!), but this year's group is pretty cute so far. =)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/prKwCCyY09GpcUMs6Lk1H5iC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQygoQNt03vFw32hwf3X4k7qUDvJhQrm1cxhyA0GOdd9S7HtSgsFdlk6LHj49FIpQ22aIQOeaXtBdPOk9IdsQ55M8cb3LeRIXIUuKWhhglO4wCc5ZoL-VtB8Yphtnap0-ZDAZzratyrKIF/s288/IMAG0078.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RqfDiu4dZMN7Qu13YV1_oJiC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHh31__3PcRk7TAB4Rcfjk27vUiRjyvy1JmSAPKKvWG1ruAYa3quYKHRLfgFCijX46PM5Oxehv5TA3E3Z2Vi7Jd-nvNn51AaV3WhGqeOJgQvNKncf2dmzztFmGL7igfpzdQf4pRNLyJ3J/s288/IMAG0076.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />Love the hair on this one, and he's nice, not ice. I accidentally cut off the word. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DwsYfY1BI-Ereyl5Pt1qm5iC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabnDWL7PRVOvASVpMHdYqROCpppvd7zK3c9XobteyrSRAwPWqqBS89X2-DUXpJr9utYfbq9bS13jBs7XjCiWVJ6PmPRBfu8vxj78kXnB1GIHgyNszpx-bx1WyDJ_GsMBVEqEqqe6b3P-b/s288/IMAG0075.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />I don't think he's related to MC Hammer, but I don't know him that well yet, so who knows!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3H0VCcj1hgTLQPW-FnKxs5iC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipV8XaPK1XuoztXp0qLvEMEJI006gqPEAiAA_roOcwWe1KLGTduXOhvh9Ld_Y2X_6gAqqtzT-gFh1caaTB2TN2zZCQN4SFS2eVtmanusY8kIhYFxepf7rIwqzP6TKHalrGNBt7-RUSCWDx/s288/IMAG0071.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tQCZBa8rfatWNLGRiIvQFZiC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXCnFZxFdLGMoEFx4VO4Sh-HhWAYrphE7RHSQQAzhxM2xHD0KRqmLPjwmKpCdYit9HhMdNRuDQL2sVNj_mgq2-5PRf2q-WfOmyyXK5qjFXRYcyBIflBItWVHHbnz-9OYNNb1T87EtCgFgq/s288/IMAG0080.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />One of my favorite drawings:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OlJwpkHQV3CBJ4P4nmAo45iC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2Ic4lwZbfq_HmPWvwsUlwsZEQgBfmvcV-_5pHqgRRc3BPdnT58x6HiPO3qeCgcRD5WDCuAGzHb-e2paXy_z15jw338Zp8woYjvscWPnT5ca1QVxyuQCeZzM4f8b3gfcejoabEr2F4uSF/s288/IMAG0077.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />Umm, not sure what's going on here. Lots of ear and lots of fingers. Hilarious. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PERRO-Fv-WIRl2RQn1snGJiC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfr40tFRXTQFNbaNfUIiEHlhys6wNU3IG7gzOFVWU3I3itg6QcQ9_-Dq_yfM0VjLaZN-KZQ8ds_4BVsTEEn3vNjJ8nGYR8T6wBvqJdg9HX7NjGD0MUoIys8gsawHiQghXtUV-dPS143_56/s288/IMAG0069.jpg" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br />And here's mine. . .<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Q7qvbK9KEum594ADCyzYgZiC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7I7zeub-rN4uJB34etnk9cQvFP50ibDpyzIPBLgkebLkGCDgCHVZ88c7eLQRl4UJyBUcgLlwnrkGA9q_S4UwnUYjf_aahmatZW2KQ6c6A7VCsTpdkKD-1L7UvZlguOwGXU96dxMcGPJr/s288/IMAG0081.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-84016602216380705922010-09-01T16:32:00.000-07:002010-09-01T17:02:21.354-07:00A New PlaceWell, I've got marker all over my hands, I'm contentedly tired after a hard day's work, and I made 30 new little friends today. That's right- a new school year has started!<br /><br />I moved into a new classroom this year, and I'm really loving it. I like making my classroom a place that is functional and enjoyable for my students, but also a place that I like being in everyday. I don't go too crazy with decor themes, but I do like a little something that ties everything together. So this year, I went with polka dots because I just can't get enough of them. Here are some pictures!<br /><br />Found this wrapping paper to use for my door, and I just think it is so stinkin' cute.<br /><a href="http://goo.gl/photos/HoRU" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FwyG8mt8Pmb-pISfybBXRVzH3917_4gEUNlZVYqI46PrG-Ae3l3rBSQpJ7RcPUWt8guWrZZZZe0vou5Yr0kMchLM1UPJ4zWfZtqaFUXXitGByWSrIfJ-D54pSf6SRBn_BJ0NFuzyTP1x/s512/IMAG0055.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />View from when you first walk in the door. <br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8Ko3kd-FHzN0Wi103Tm5EpiC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx_hUbaj3XOj-vR8FXgDf5IN40qxN1JMguQd0MKd6rfCvXPR7s3-qXuN_vu3cYHxe5-665_Mbm9BfQ3XV1MzkOf_DVr6797SEED1Vq3KloOX27wN3QjirJOaH_-UX0p6b5PjIvrRVnuSdy/s400/IMAG0059.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Spidey's got a new gig: class librarian.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oqF3oK2WSNbom5XeB-MdUZiC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT58lMdj3xDaTaaO7800SWYbqUzTz91UVUzYvaSkdHZlE5dL4zY2AvBq6QTjzHLCs_iKIl1aoQs0czsZWakfJWSXJDdYlbd9knycCxD1_p2DVDguwxYzxnC0y6vhvUlMOc2HC3nv5FUX4z/s400/IMAG0061.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Social Studies & Science boards<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/IW8vGXpXscPjSut9MOB_mpiC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtFpHpQdP4TCx7JrSmZ5PIq8CfWlbn-OcXHNqhVCUPCWp_gaJrUucuTlSOQOuHMrGwtsIbY0auucF1ipLYVjzRAPoT4Ro4l0Nc6ow72EKTmjyVdDDoZ83KjMoJaNZimVz0X58f29Irv5x/s400/IMAG0060.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Nerd alert: I really like my new calendar and the blue/black & white polka dot combo. I mean REALLY like. <br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gL4lF9UizTSgLm4Z3Lrzq5iC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZRo4Cs0piNj7oH3v5fkiSkedulH40zS9sEKT-Z3dE1cZWkttNBHrpZtdN1ms8HmfEMqHG0su7alF2qaIyXwftcNsFosbnXCgUxfb7ZJ1pTUFxiQGroq5XaQwTZ59YYCGZYAgdv6m7wZy/s400/IMAG0066.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Looking back at the door<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JZFYVf3-tdm33CHHJpaIupiC9P7uLH6460tbnLcpRLM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4ZGFBirH-OURgC9lp4gBAwjlqAPzzoH2TYKLtQRhw0Ay4-vP7ZS6fjNBE6mbS2CCfCR3oRyqO72Us1XHuVP2rCfT3X7Ld3uXdO8w9OyK5d7gP9qdiD-eZVcGDU4gfXLCq7Lgrga5bXIy/s400/IMAG0068.jpg" /></a><br /><br />It's even more fun when it's full of 9 year-olds!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-39553995529184786722010-07-28T03:01:00.000-07:002010-07-28T14:58:06.391-07:00The Parisian Cafe<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhB2GKIWUyKaRt76NjBAlDfGCo5AZKRljMoUTTlrWGuMhWHfkcFVmlfPxJ2MzLVQ5bzHKsl2O2wX_0l00Jy9__h0xfua2XduVbKabmaISGysaikjpu78avdtV_eec4UjgmxGNXg_WF9H-J/s1600/IMG_1769.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhB2GKIWUyKaRt76NjBAlDfGCo5AZKRljMoUTTlrWGuMhWHfkcFVmlfPxJ2MzLVQ5bzHKsl2O2wX_0l00Jy9__h0xfua2XduVbKabmaISGysaikjpu78avdtV_eec4UjgmxGNXg_WF9H-J/s320/IMG_1769.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499079597357472354" border="0" /></a>The cafes were where I found rest during our whirlwind tour of Paris, even though they were often bustling with lots of people. Fast food restaurants are few and far between, but cafes are EVERYWHERE. There are 2 or 3 (or more) on every block, oftentimes right next to each other. <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Your time at a cafe can be as long or short as you want it to be- the service is actually quite fast, but you can just hang out for a while if you like. Our meals always arrived much quicker than they would at a sit-down restaurant in the U.S. I thought of it as fast <i>real</i> food. You know, meals where you can name all the food on your plate: those are potatoes, that's an egg, there is some lettuce, this is a piece of chicken. Nary a serving of homogenized oil, maltodextrin, or blue #2 in sight. Actual dishware, glasses, and flatware are always used instead of plastic, and hot drinks are always served in a cup with a saucer- my favorite was a cafe creme. Yum. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">One of my favorite things about the cafes is that most of the seating is out front on the sidewalk with all of the chairs facing out. So, instead of facing the other people you're eating with, you sit beside them or in a semi-circle like you're on a t.v. sitcom. Everyone knows that people watching is one of the great things about sitting outside in a big city, so why make one person always have the bum seat that misses the action? </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">All of these little details of a Parisian cafe communicate the idea that it's good to sit down and rest for a minute. Just be. So, that's what we did. And it was lovely. </p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-52371686202929326412010-07-28T02:57:00.000-07:002010-07-28T03:01:08.012-07:00Sometimes No Plan = Great PlanWe found out a couple of days before we arrived in Paris that we would be in town at the same time as the Tour de France, but we didn't really make a plan to go watch because of the crazy crowds.<br /><br />Turns out that no plan was the best plan, because as we were walking to the Museum D'Orsay, we had to take a detour because of the Tour's route. As we walked behind the people waiting to watch, we got the sense from the murmurings of the onlookers that some riders were about to come by. So, we moved a little ways away to a higher spot on a bridge about 50 yards from the route. And low and behold, 5 minutes later (I'm serious- 5 min after we got there) the helicopters flew over, the police cars drove through, and then a group of cyclists rode on by. We have no idea who they were or how well they were doing, but they were fast and we felt pretty cool after having seen them. Pictures and a not-that-great-but-it-proves-it-happened video coming soon.<br /><br />Truth be told, I haven't even heard who won. Anyone know? =)Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-17380401849986488372010-07-28T02:41:00.000-07:002010-07-28T02:57:37.622-07:00Paris<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQX3ZwVzP5HEdx3MsHqgLJFq0SM66J-WAXvNQwvx3IPKSOQQCoxxW5cFpCo0S7MYSPzftBNWJ7EjvsdUxLHrCZK748SvsAUYjoWXiuI5bH3CbmMfQ4Hz_rzQPHoMz-_xvxJEHaKrDAPBwQ/s1600/IMG_0301.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQX3ZwVzP5HEdx3MsHqgLJFq0SM66J-WAXvNQwvx3IPKSOQQCoxxW5cFpCo0S7MYSPzftBNWJ7EjvsdUxLHrCZK748SvsAUYjoWXiuI5bH3CbmMfQ4Hz_rzQPHoMz-_xvxJEHaKrDAPBwQ/s320/IMG_0301.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498893670507221698" border="0" /></a><br />Paris is an incredible city. To be honest, I was quite overwhelmed by its size when we first arrived. I tend to be a needs-lots-of-green-wide-open-spaces kind of girl, and Paris is just the opposite. It's home to 11 million people and has the highest density of people of any city in Europe- 20 times greater than that of New York City. Good grief!<br /><br />Fortunately, after being there a day and getting a feel for it, I found Paris to be beautiful and restful. The architecture and general ascetic are just lovely. I couldn't get enough of the wrought iron balconies, the spots of color found in shop awnings and flower boxes filled with geraniums, and the simplicity of their table settings.<br /><br />We were able to see a lot of the major sights in Paris and I'll be posting links to more pictures once I get home. I am still processing the fact that I've been able to see all of these amazing places, so more reflection on it all will come later. For now, here's just a basic rundown of what we were able to see each day:<br /><br /> * Friday: Travel day to Paris. Our hotel is really close to the Eiffel Tower, so we walked around and got a feel for the area. We were quite excited!<br /><br /> *Saturday: We took a day trip out to Versailles, the grand palace that was once home to the infamous King Louis XIV and his successors. Words can hardly describe how impressive the Chateau and gardens are, but decadent, lavish, and beautiful are a good start. I hope to write more about it soon, because it was very interesting to walk around a place that was so obviously built to glorify man, not God (that's how it was described in the tour book!).<br /><br /> *Sunday: We made our way (hop on, hop off) to Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, and were amazed by these buildings that were built so long ago and with such beauty. The stained glass windows are just incredible, and Debbie and I enjoyed figuring out which Bible stories were being told in each scene. In the afternoon, we spent some time at the D'Orsay Museum and saw works by Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Van Gogh. Then we grabbed some food at the store and had a picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower for a few hours. I loved seeing the sky change behind it as the sun went down! Plus, a guy started singing and playing his guitar near us, and Debbie and I turned to each other and said, “Wow! He's really good!” So, we had our own mini-concert by some random French guy, who sang us some French songs and some of my fav American pop- a little MJ, Gaga, and Rihanna. It was perfect.<br /><br /> *Monday: We spent a few hours in the Lourve- you could spend a year there and still have plenty to see, so we just hit the big guns: the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace, to name a few. The Venus de Milo is a statue that dates back to 100 B.C. That means that she's older than Jesus! Well, I guess technically Jesus doesn't have an age since he's always existed as a part of the eternal Trinity, but you know what I mean. She's older than Christmas. That's better. Later that evening, we went to the Arc de Triomphe and then walked around the Champs-Elysees (THE boulevard in Paris, which is home to the Louis Vutton and Sephora flagship stores- pretty impressive!)<br /><br />It was an amazing few days! Au Revoir!<br /><br /><br /><br />--Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-18876483826883078722010-07-28T02:30:00.000-07:002010-07-28T02:41:23.750-07:00Good-bye Paris, hello SwitzerlandDebbie and I have just finished up an amazing 4 days in Paris! Thank you for praying for our connection in London- Plan A worked just like we hoped it would, and our trip to France went smoothly. God has been so good to help us in even the tiniest details. We were so excited to finally be together in Europe!<br /><br />Yesterday we took the train from Paris, France, to Interlaken, Switzerland. It was such a beautiful ride. I can hardly even describe it. I love riding on the train, too. Lots of room to stretch out, and in between looking at the gorgeous scenery, I was able to write out a few blogs about our travels so far.<br /><br />First off, here's a little shout out for two purchases that we have been so glad we made:<br /><br /> * Rick Steves' guide books are awesome. I can't say enough good things about them. His tips on what to see, where to go and stay, and how to avoid crowds of tourists saved us lots of money, time, and stress. We heart Rick.<br /><br /> * And we loved the OpenTour bus in Paris. It's a line of double-decker buses that let you hop on and off whenever you want at major sights around the city. There's a recorded tour guide that you can listen to via headphones when you want some info, but you're not stuck with a huge tour group for the entire day since you can hop on and hop off. I just like saying it. Hop on, hop off. Hop on, hop off.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-11277344125776189012010-07-22T15:22:00.000-07:002010-07-22T17:59:36.047-07:00Ciao Portugal!<div align="left">My time in Lisbon, Portugal has been lovely! I stayed with my dear friends, Jonathan and Traci, who live here full time. Spending time with them and their daughters, Katie (2 ½ years old) and Carly (8 months), was my main reason for coming to Portugal for the week before meeting up with Debbie for the rest of the trip.<br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 206px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 278px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496866433721914402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFkt16_7ckrrxd0M2ny-0j5Z3f3xNMnx0-MUKG7RLhSkeBOHGLnqGYD4LJQSlji-oSyandlOvGVrJZo-dmEQoO6JZyHORdjhLdA4jEfNlAEG5C80NfnXjfyFnMA2d3PxbcZIhm9cJ2-Mr/s320/IMG_1471.JPG" /> </p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Don't believe that furrowed brow on Carly. She and I were best buds this week.</span></p><p align="left">Traci and I met at Biola when we were RA floor partners in Alpha, and living daily life together has always been one of my favorite parts of our friendship. It’s just fun to figure things out together and we make a great team. Our duo had a chance to be back in action this week because my time here coincided with a short term missions team from Traci and Jonathan’s church in California. At first, we thought the timing of my trip was not ideal because of the busyness involved with the missions trip, but it really turned out well. I loved getting to jump in and help with the girls (potty training can be so exciting!) and we prepared a few meals for the team as well. Traci just kept walking around saying ‘I’m so glad you’re here’, which is a phrase that I never get tired of, no matter where I am. =)<br /><br />It was encouraging to learn more about the church plant that is just in its earliest stage in a new community in Lisbon. Although I hear regular up-dates on what T & J’s ministry is up to, it was definitely cool to be here for the week with a team of people that are helping them jump start contacts in the target community. May the Lord continue to move in the hearts of the Portuguese people so that they might be ready to receive the Gospel!<br /><br />We did have some time to see a few sights in Lisbon- a couple that I’d gone to on my first visit 3 years ago, and some new spots as well. It is really a great city! And even with running after two little kids, my time here in my friends’ home has been quite restful. I feel ready to take on all the fun that Debbie and I have planned for the next few weeks.<br /><br /></p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 305px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 224px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496868161283843874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEOw3srMTHYf3jlNF_qw8UAH0poO6aRjzZ0D4dQlm99WOXOEefrPUsmngXzXxYJKtSGZPxUfVym5HLiFue9nb9-f-5APqUBM1qEaHAxMLQEcmH9P967DpBBuVIhoFgX-U79ve9-rE6g4f/s320/IMG_1467.JPG" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">The town of Sintra, just outside of Lisbon. Yep, that's a Moorish castle up there. It's old.</span> </p><p align="left">Debs and I are meeting up in London tomorrow and then heading straight to Paris on the Chunnel. Please pray that we’re able to find each other in Heathrow Airport. We have a good plan (and a good back-up plan if necessary), but it’s a little tricky since we’re so used to relying on cell phones and neither of us have one here. We’ll let you know how we do! </p>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-41313355974076982292010-07-14T00:11:00.000-07:002010-07-22T18:02:48.747-07:00Leaving on a Jet Plane<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">I am leaving tomorrow morning for my month long trip to Europe and I would really appreciate your prayers!</span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; CLEAR: right" href="http://goo.gl/photos/PeBo" imageanchor="1"><img style="WIDTH: 399px; HEIGHT: 266px" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH-YYsSYOiR75m4GqZyMSQp_YZeJE5NiB2ciRmf1AAZuMvE2YuPO7ZdojTAMwCgtyCW5eCty4hKDpinmu0GM_ql2BTG-LP2d1VDUN_e7h1RfEsGBY9wQqu6l_oGy1CpGhQ52eURhk-r-u/s512/IMAG0178.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;"><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"></span> <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Do you think it will all fit? Scroll down to find out!<br /></span><br /></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">I am feeling excited to have a grand adventure, but to be honest, I've also felt quite anxious about the whole thing. I've had multiple moments when I'm just looking forward to being home again, and I haven't even left yet! The Lord has been gracious to remind me to just enjoy each moment and not get so stressed about all the details. Even as I was praying this morning, the thought 'Calm down a bit- this is supposed to be fun!' came to my mind, so I'm gonna try to run with that. =)<br /><br />Here's our rough itinerary:<br />July 14-23: Laura in Portugal (yay for seeing Traci and Jonathan!)<br />July 19-23: Debbie in Norway (yay for seeing Allie and Ben!)<br />July 23: D & L meet in London and head straight to Paris<br />July 23-27: Paris<br />July 27-29: Switzerland<br />July 30-August 1: Venice, Italy<br />Aug 1-3: Florence and Pisa, Italy<br />Aug 3-5: Cinque Terre, Italy<br />Aug 5-8 : Rome, Italy<br />Aug 8-11: England- Lake District, Bath, Bristol<br />Aug 11-15: London, England<br />Aug 15: Home to LAX @ 11:15 pm<br /><br />Would you pray for Debbie and me while we're gone? We'd love prayer for:<br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">good communication between the two of us. This has been a strength of our relationship thus far, but you know, crazy things happen in foreign countries. =)</span></li><li><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">discernment to know what to see, what to skip, when to rest, etc.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">great places to stay- it's always a little weird to book places just via the internet w/o actually seeing them, and there are also a couple of cities where we don't have anything booked yet in order to give us some flexibility in our itinerary. We're praying for safe, clean, and not ridiculously priced.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">I am praying for rest and time for reflection- I know that those may sound like crazy things to seek on a busy trip, but I'm hopeful that being away from my normal routine and spending lots of time on the train and in beautiful places will be just what I need. I am coming off of a difficult year emotionally, and I am hopeful that the Lord is going to use this Europe trip as another part of the process that I'm working through.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">good conversations with people that we meet. Debbie and I love to talk, so hopefully we can meet some interesting people and look for opportunities to share the love of Christ, even in unexpected ways.<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family:georgia,serif;">We are headed to the land of wheat and butter, and as most of you know, those two things don't mix with me very well. I've put some thought into how to navigate through it all without starving, and I'm asking the Lord to help me find good meals and to help me not get sick when I break my rules a few times. Because you can bet your bippy I'm getting a pastry in Paris and some pizza in Italy. =)</span></li></ul>Thank you for praying for us! I'll be sure to post up-dates when I can.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; CLEAR: right" href="http://goo.gl/photos/I6TD" imageanchor="1"><img style="WIDTH: 375px; HEIGHT: 250px" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRayKY4-SGjTKRoeCo-KJz26rX_vWqvfXyOipxldLkJoQWalP_kvRcm-h6ClPrFqicDmaxMjCBp0sU6CMaE1w3HGjF8vh2DtWicy2DCcqmwUajGAbfzHuLUNXA5YhGXjzC7Xavie95n4Um/s512/IMAG0181.jpg" /></a></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"> <div id="refHTML"></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Pretty proud of myself. So's Mr. Bear. He saw all that stuff around him and he was getting quite nervous. </span></span><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"></div><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"> <div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"> <div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"> <div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"> <div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"> <div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"> <div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden"> <div id="refHTML"></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-82985872005183400802010-05-31T15:29:00.001-07:002010-05-31T18:07:17.659-07:00You see, it's both.<span style="font-family: georgia;">It's official! My sister and I (and possibly another dear friend, Julie) are headed to Europe this summer! The rough itinerary is for me to spend a few days in Portugal seeing the Shoemakers, then meet up with Debbie and Julie to see Paris, Switzerland, Italy, and England- a month long trip! </span>I've been thinking about taking a trip like this all year, so it is amazing to me that the tickets are finally purchased and plans are coming together.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6B-dolEjR5jtU3qEUfnk7hkmAN7IbRc4LcAuLx-EOHRJ255BCExcLahYJIvdfzsbPYMAHha75lhZa6emw0s9xwkG5h9wRkfMDJHtsv1KmHXRpGRTnh_NtSaBqu0xf-UTCuyoe74tKJlc/s1600/Ticket+to+London%21.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6B-dolEjR5jtU3qEUfnk7hkmAN7IbRc4LcAuLx-EOHRJ255BCExcLahYJIvdfzsbPYMAHha75lhZa6emw0s9xwkG5h9wRkfMDJHtsv1KmHXRpGRTnh_NtSaBqu0xf-UTCuyoe74tKJlc/s320/Ticket+to+London%21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477567836266942226" border="0" /></a><br />Part of the planning process has included sifting through my emotions about taking such a big trip. I'm single and not tied down, so <span style="font-style: italic;">I'm able to go to Europe for a month</span>. Happy! But, <span style="font-style: italic;">I'm single and not tied down</span>, so I'm able to go to Europe for a month. Sad! <br /><br />On one hand, I know that this is an opportunity that many people dream of, and I'm so thankful that God is giving me the chance to have such an amazing experience. But even in the midst of being thankful, I'm learning to be honest with myself and recognize that there's <span style="font-style: italic;">a lot</span> of sadness in my current ability to just pick up and leave the country. Being married and "burdened" by a family sounds like a lovely idea. <br /><br />Oscillating between these two extremes has been a little exhausting, to say the least ('I'm happy! I'm sad! I'm. . .'). I'm learning to live somewhere in the middle, recognizing that the Bible often exhorts us to have thankful hearts, but it also tells us that Jesus invites us to cast our cares upon him. To give thanks and pray continually at the same time. <br /><br />So, I'm going to Europe. And considering the sights I'll see and the people I'll be with, I'm pretty confident that it's going to be awesome. But when I have moments of sadness that Mr. Wonderful isn't along for the ride yet, I'm going to pause and pray, and ask God to send him soon. Traveling through Europe and praying boldly- both risky adventures that I'm looking forward to.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741688338488805335.post-64873762480057725942010-05-24T21:32:00.000-07:002010-05-24T22:31:08.273-07:00Starfish Files: the beautiful love of a childMy students this year have continued to bless me often. The word darling suits many of them well. Here are two moments from the last couple of weeks that have brought tears to my eyes:<br /><br />For Mother's Day cards this year, I didn't give my students very specific directions. I just opened up the construction paper drawer and made sure they spelled the word mother correctly. Oh, and if anyone wrote 'Your wonderful' I made them squeeze in the apostrophe and e, since that is my least favorite spelling error.<br /><br />Mateo came up and asked if he could use some of the extra craft supplies in the back of the room. I was busy with a million other things, so I vaguely remember saying 'sure' and wondered what he was up to. This is what he created:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMG_JUUGPwptiBT2bfPnl7hCIosk7WoSDrbZJYMEadlz9NAjfPwRZvK-1ZOIKHCmrBkR5upm4EG61ccKF2mfuP5aVozFgRxAMshs3aiqRVpWPgxIoNIpQRkN4zkzqEQrcmp8MRzcTW2Lux/s1600/IMG_0983.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMG_JUUGPwptiBT2bfPnl7hCIosk7WoSDrbZJYMEadlz9NAjfPwRZvK-1ZOIKHCmrBkR5upm4EG61ccKF2mfuP5aVozFgRxAMshs3aiqRVpWPgxIoNIpQRkN4zkzqEQrcmp8MRzcTW2Lux/s320/IMG_0983.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475062313541170514" border="0" /></a>Something about the simplicity, the slant of the writing, and the ellipsis just kills me. <br /><br />And then on the inside he wrote. . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8821ammAJHqpWXjRmboZlPIz2RKwUAZqAn4urlOJWPLx8J52iAXM6er5rNigC31Qkvf7KhJ9ThjD06XFv8GqgeYjBgPpSnCAXH-kznCvGtEsE4os3-ldBZ2XCMZHYYG6HGDOzCKFTwT-/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8821ammAJHqpWXjRmboZlPIz2RKwUAZqAn4urlOJWPLx8J52iAXM6er5rNigC31Qkvf7KhJ9ThjD06XFv8GqgeYjBgPpSnCAXH-kznCvGtEsE4os3-ldBZ2XCMZHYYG6HGDOzCKFTwT-/s400/IMG_0984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475068545493346066" border="0" /></a>Came up with it all on his own. Used a simile. Attempted to use higher level vocabulary. Told his mom that he loves her. Such sweetness. What a gift to play even a tiny part in his creative process.<br /><br />A few days later, I was laminating some student work and feeling pretty overwhelmed by the long list of things I needed to do before heading home. The papers I was sending through were just some cursive pages for my kids to color and keep as a reference for when they're practicing cursive- an art that I refuse to let die. It's actually a paper that I got in 3rd grade and you can see my signature in the lower left corner. =)<br /><br />I happened to look down at Ashlynn's, and I noticed that she'd written a couple of notes on hers:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHHrXEq01JrostjTniZ0uEEfViLrE6LnG85SMVhSKyWXw6PB2sRMvXaJx0OxyW52nFLoD-_9dx6skruBHSO_9iKzQitgdydF0XbZoz8f0CAyEAUFG-RRUjK8kGymjkuKDDYsKSujA73WI/s1600/Ashlynn's+cursive+page.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHHrXEq01JrostjTniZ0uEEfViLrE6LnG85SMVhSKyWXw6PB2sRMvXaJx0OxyW52nFLoD-_9dx6skruBHSO_9iKzQitgdydF0XbZoz8f0CAyEAUFG-RRUjK8kGymjkuKDDYsKSujA73WI/s400/Ashlynn's+cursive+page.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475070516956589954" border="0" /></a>Jesus used my little 10 year-old friend to speak the beautiful truth of the Gospel to me in a moment when I needed to hear it. I love that on a random cursive assignment, the overflow of her heart was to preach to others ("God says he loves you!") and preach to herself ("God loves me!"). What an example to follow.<br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608124987279914858noreply@blogger.com1