it's been too long...

I apologize for not keeping up with my blog this summer. I'll do my best to capture what's happened this summer:

*Grandma passed away on July 14th. Thank you for everyones thoughts and prayers.

*I've been able to catch up on scrapbooking :) I think I'll have our wedding album finished by the time summer's over.

*What summer isn't complete without a weekend at a cottage? John and Amy invited us to join them for a weekend at their family's cottage. It was the perfect time of relaxing and enjoying the company of good friends. Check out the pictures on Amy's blog.

*Matt has always told me about the civil war re-enactment at Genesse Country Museum. This year we were finally around for the event and spent the day wandering through the village and going back in time. It was an incredible event!

*This past weekend we traveled home for a Brown family reunion. It was a great family weekend. We spent Friday and Saturday with my family then went to Matt's parents for the rest of the weekend. Standing out to me as one of the best times was hearing Laura's laugh for *most* of the car ride home on Saturday. She loved having an audience to entertain.
This box cover helped with the entertainment. And of course, I gave it a try as well...but didn't look nearly as cute as Laura. I'm sure Andrea will make that photo known soon enough :)

*And lastly...the large beam in our apartment *almost* fell on Matt last night:
Last week I noticed the beam was slowly inching away from the ceiling. We let our landlord know, he checked it out and assured us we'd be okay until he returned from vacation. We were fine for the week. Last night they came to fix it and realized they didn't have all the necessary tools. Right after they left we went to the kitchen to get some cookies and milk, came back to the couch, sat down and CRASH! Do you see the fan cord? That's all that kept it from falling on Matt's head! Fortunately, 2 hours later the beam is fixed and secure!

grandma

During these past 2 weeks I have been reminded of the great blessings of family. It started with a week long family reunion in Michigan. I'll be sure to post more about the week later, but for now something else...
The blessings continued this week as I had the opportunity to spend this week with my parents at our cottage. I planned the trip over a month ago and little did I know then that the timing of the trip would be the perfect chance for me to visit with my grandma in the nursing home. We are pretty sure she is facing her last few days here on this earth and although this brings sadness, it also brings reminders of God's promises. I know she will be going to the place God has prepared for her. She will be seeing Jesus face to face. And I know her broken body will be restored!
My mom and I have been sharing scripture and song lyrics back and forth that have been encouragement to us over the last few days so I thought I'd share some:

Christians never say goodbye
We only move to our home up high
Free from pain...with Jesus we will reign
______

When we all get to heaven
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus
We'll sing and shout the victory!
______

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. -Psalm 84:10
______

If you are reading this, please keep my family in your prayers at this time.

***I realized after I posted that I should mentioned this is not the same grandma who I previously posted about. She is doing better and recovering well.***

School's out for summer!

It's hard to believe it's already June and I officially survived my first full year of teaching. I think when I look back on my teaching career in 30 years I may actually be able to say that the first few months of this year were the most difficult. One student made those months particularly difficult...and all it took was him slapping me and he was out. I can laugh about it now...but it truly was a test which I can now say I passed. After those trials I was able to really get to know the other students in my class and realized how incredibly blessed I was to spend this year with them.

Tomorrow morning I take off for Michigan for the family reunion. I'll be there all week, Matt will be joining us on Thursday. I'm sure I'll have plenty of memories and pictures to share when we get back next weekend! Stay posted!

our life in pictures

With the end of baseball season, Matt's graduation and the end of the school year I'm not sure where time has gone. I figured a collection of pictures would be the best way to update...enjoy :)

Matt's done! He graduated!

Matt's graduation present:

Well, his present is the grill...but somehow I got a patio set out of the deal too :) We've since had to move our grill to the front porch. CrAzY Rochester winds!

June provided opportunity for yet another girls' weekend. With Beth heading off to South Korea and Karen getting married in October it was a necessary get together. We were able to pull off a surprise bridal shower for Karen. We're so excited for her! We also enjoyed the precious time of worshiping together at church.

This week we received news that my grandma had been admitted to the hospital. They discovered a tumor and an enlarged aorta. Matt and I went to visit over the weekend and I was so blessed to have the chance to pray with her and share my faith.
She went into surgery on Tuesday evening with a predicted 5% survival. As a friend of mine said "someone must have forgotten to tell God about that 5%." God had other plans and brought her through the surgery successfully. She is still in ICU under close watch.

I think that's enough for picture updates for now. Only 7 more days of school!

my teacher wanted to be the hero...

I've recently been teaching my students what it means to add voice to their writing. I got this idea from my colleague and needed to share the outcome.

At the beginning of writing on Friday morning I gave each student a blank piece of paper, told them to write their name on it (a direction that is still CONSTANTLY needed) and proceeded to tell them for the next thing to work there was to be no talking, and no laughing. I walked behind my desk, pulled out a bag of fudge stripe cookies, opened the bag and started eating one in front of them. I was sure to let them know how delicious the cookie tasted and smelled. I then went back to the bag and grabbed another cookie. By this time I have some students turning their backs on me, others pleading (without saying anything) with me to give them one. I believe I became even more obnoxious with the second cookie, letting them know how great it was.

After finishing the 2 cookies I closed the package and returned it to my desk drawer. I then instructed my students to spend the next 4 minutes writing about what had just taken place.

After those 4 minutes had passed I gave them the chance to share what they had written. I thought you'd enjoy reading some of their responses:

"She didn't share. We wanted some good chocolate chip cookies and I bet they were delicious!"

"You made me feel like I wanted to explode!"

"It made me mad and angry. I will just take the cookies and hog them all!"

"Mrs. George ate cookies in front of us to make us really hungry. Mrs. George also described that they were good to make us even more hungry"

"She didn't even stop to give us one, not one single crumb! I love these kind of cookies! I felt really jealous because I don't usually get them!"

"I turned my back so I did not have to think about it!"


There were many other great responses, but on with the story :). I then went back to my desk and grabbed the bag of cookies. Upon giving the "no talking" direction again I placed one cookie on each students' desk. Their faces lit up, they were so excited...until...I informed them that they couldn't eat it. I gave them another few minutes to write again:

"My teacher wanted to be a grinch!"

"My teacher wanted to be the hero of saving us from hunger. But it's not fair she gets to eat one and we can't. I'm soooooooo made at my teacher. If I had a cookie I would rub it in her face too. I would say aha you can't have any! That's what you get! Now she's not the hero."

"This really does not bother me because I have these cookies at home all the time so when I go home I'll just have some."

"We finally got a cookie (yay!) and we can't eat it (aw man!). If you ate it why can't we eat it?"

"You are sharing with us, you are the best teacher. Except now we can't eat it! I am through with this, I am going to eat it anyways!"

"When you turn your back I will eat all the cookies in one second!"


Don't worry, I let them eat their cookies and their stories quickly changed back to my being a good teacher :) They understood my reason for our activity and now recognize the voice in their own writing! Mission accomplished!

I am...

I am: a child of God, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a teacher (thanks for the great answer Amy...with one change).

I think: I'm glad God is writing my story. ("We find ourselves in the middle of a story that is sometimes wonderful, sometimes awful, often a confusing mixture of both, and we haven't the slightest clue how to make sense of it all...we try to interpret the meaning of life with only fragments, isolated incidents, feelings, and images without reference to the story of which these scenes are merely a part." The Sacred Romance)

I want: the coffee table we found today :)

I wish: that more people would accept the love of our Savior.

I hate: folding laundry.

I miss: living with my college girls. Who wouldn't want 5 additional wardrobes, 5 shoulders to cry on, 5 prayer warriors, and 5 best friends.

I fear: losing those close to me.

I feel: proud of my husband and all his accomplishments :)

I hear: NBA Live (Matt's playing).

I smell: fresh air (I love having a sliding glass door to open :)

I crave: the Olive Garden desserts we have waiting in our fridge for later (or sooner).

I search: online for houses for sale, knowing full well we're not ready to buy yet.

I regret: the years when I didn't make my family a priority.

I love: being married to my best friend.

I ache: for the children in this generation who don't know what it means to grow up in a loving home.

I care: about my students.

I always: buy sweedish fish when I drive long distances by myself.

I am not: always as confident as I want to be. I sometimes forget that I was "wonderfully made" in the eyes of God.

I believe: in the power of the blood of Jesus.

I sing: in the car. When Matt and I sing in the car it becomes a competition to see who can sing the MOST off key.

I cry: easily.

I lose: whenever I play Yahtzee against Matt (who else gets 3 yahtzees in a row on the first 3 turns?)

I never: turn down skittles.

I need: to get serious about an exercise plan.

I am happy: to be an aunt to such a beautiful baby girl.

I hope: to be a blessing to those I come in contact with.

CONGRATS!

My brother called tonight and asked if I had enough practice being an aunt. I asked if my answer would change the news he was about to share. They are expecting their first baby. So exciting!!!

Congrats Kevin & Dawn! We are eager to celebrate with you in this exciting time! Love you!