My Friendly Plane Encounters

All of last week I couldn't wait to fly home for my best friends wedding!!  I have been waiting for this day for forever!  So at 6:05 Wednesday September 21 I took off from the airport right down the road from our house, and started my journey to good ole' Minnesoda ya.

As I was boarding the plane all that was going through my head was, "I wondering who I am going to be sitting with?"  For all of you out there who have flown by yourself, you probably know what I'm talking about.  You hope you get lucky enough to sit by someone just as interesting and cool as you are.  Who can hold an interesting conversation, keeps in their own space and smells good.  In the back of your mind your thinking please don't be that really smelly guy, the person who can't stop talking about their whole life story, the complainer,  snorer, or the one who doesn't seem to have a sense of personal space.

Well I was walking along looking for my seat 9A.  As I'm walking I spot this large man who is sweating profusely up ahead.  "Please don't be my seat, please don't be my seat, please don't be my seat!" Fingers crossed.  Yup I picked lucky seat number 9A right next to the big sweaty man.  Awesome, I love sitting in half of a seat while the other takes up 1 1/2 seats.

And I don't know about you but when I am on a plane and we go through some turbulence my first instinct is to grab whatever is next to me.  So, since their was a big sweaty man taking up half of my seat I had to be extra careful not to let this instinct take control of me.  So here I am sitting in half of my seat with my arm between my legs to keep me from accidentally grabbing the big sweaty man carrying over into my seat.  This was a challenge I will tell you that.

Well while I was sitting there on the plane ride I heard some of the conversation of a girl and boy, that looked about my age, sitting behind me.  They were talking about life and about God.  This caught my interest.  Well, when the plane landed and we were sitting there waiting I decided to turn around and ask, "Can I ask you two a question?"
"Ya."
"Do you go to church in Houston?"
"Yes we do."

And so it began...  They asked me were I was from, what I was doing as I did of them.  They were both on their way to Minneapolis for the first time to go to a conference on missions.  They attend a church in the Houston area called Grace Church in which they said a lot of younger people our age attend.  Exactly what I was looking for : ).  So, they grabbed my number so that I can go to church with them sometime.  I exited the plane with them and chatted with them till it was time to part.  I have to say they were a few of the most nicest people I have met on a plane lol.

Well my encounters didn't stop there...

Sunday morning after going to the church I grew up in for a little bit, it was time for me to head back home to Houston.  After going through security I checked what gate I needed to get to.  The board said GATE CHANGE    GATE 19C.  So I made my way to Gate 19C, which I might add is the longest I have had to walk to get to a gate before even with those moving sidewalk things.  Well around 12:40 we started to board.  Awesome 8 minutes earlier than it said on my ticket.  As I am standing in line I realize that on the screen it says Philadelphia.  Ummm what ?  I know their was a gate change but it did say 19C.  Confused as ever I went over to the lady at the desk and she informed me that the flight was for Philly and Houston would be next.  OK good.  So I sat down in a different seat and waited patiently.  Then we were informed that the plane wouldn't be in until 1:15, so we would be boarding even later.

As I was sitting there waiting two guys come up and sat down next to me.  Well I noticed that the one next to me had pulled out a bible and the other one had some other book and they were talking about verses or something.  Well you know me, I couldn't help but ask another question to a stranger.  Curiosity has not killed me yet, and until it does I will continue to ask questions.

"Did you guys perhaps go to a conference this weekend?"
"Yes we did."
"I was just wondering, because I met a few people on the flight in and they were going to a conference too."

And it began again...

They were brothers from around the Houston area, who were called to do missions and that's why they were attending this conference.  I asked them what kind of missions they wanted to do and they were exactly sure, but knew it would be in the area of the middle east.  So, we chatted for a while and a third gentleman walks up.

"I just overheard your conversation and it was really interesting.  Are you all Christians?"
"Yes."

This man was from Nina, Wisconsin which I actually knew where that was, because of my Dads old job.  This man was going to Houston for some business.  We all chatted to pass the time till boarding which ended up not being until 1:45, when we were supposed to leave at 1:28.

This time I did not get stuck sitting with a big sweaty man, thank God!!  We did have another delay though...  the maintenance people forgot to shut a door so we waited about 15 more minutes for that.  Then we were off!!

Towards the end of the flight a flight attendant came up to my seat and handed me a book.
"This is from the two gentlemen in back."

The two guys I met gave me a book from the conference they went to.  How thoughtful : )

The book:   God Is the Gospel by John Piper

Inside I found this:

All I could think about after these unexpected encounters this weekend was that God works in amazing ways, and he has a great way of telling me that even though I'm over a thousand miles away from my family and friends and everything I have ever known, he is still here right along side of me.  What a great feeling and encouraging thought.

Art That Comes From My Classroom

For my very first lesson I wanted to do something simple, but fun to see where the students were at artistically and also to grab their attention and interest.  We had just learned about the 7 elements of art and I wanted to also use something that would be a good after project and tie in those elements.

As I was thinking about what to start I remembered a lesson my colleuge introduced us to in my Teaching Elementary Art class a few semesters ago.  Line and Pattern Paper Relief Sculptures, it tied in to the elements of art the students just learned, was a pretty simple project and would be something fun to grab their attention and spark their interest.  Perfect!!!!

Here is for you Art Educators out there or any educator at that!!  It would be a fun project to do in any classroom!

Lesson Topic:  Line and Pattern Paper Relief Sculpture

Day 1

Lesson Purpose: To introduce students to the elements and principles of art.

Objectives:  Students will be able to create patterns, organic shapes, show awareness of the principles and elements of art and share ideas through the creation of a paper relief sculpture.

Vocabulary: Organic Shapes, Geometric shapes

Materials/resources:  9X12 heavy drawing paper, markers, sharpies, pencils, scissors, 9X12 black construction paper

Methods/Procedures: 

A.     Getting started:  Write vocabulary words up on the board and ask students if anyone knows what any of the words mean.  Have students volunteer to come up to the board and draw an example.  Go over each word. What are geometric shapes?  What does geometric mean?  Where might we find these shapes?  Organic shapes are oposite of these.
      What are organic shapes?  What does organic mean?  Where can you find these kinds of shapes?

B.     1.) Show students how to draw big open organic shapes, on a 9X12 piece of paper, with a black marker.  Remind them to fill up the whole sheet of paper.  Then have the students do the same, first on a manilla piece of paper for practice and then onto a thick white sheet for the final draft, when you have approved it.
     Closure:  Ask students what organic shapes are?
      Assessment: Students finished relief sculpture.

Day 2

Lesson Purpose: To introduce students to the elements and principles of art.

Objective: Students will be able to show examples of line and pattern and share ideas through the creation of a paper relief sculpture.

Vocabulary: Line, Pattern, Organic shapes, Variety

Materials/resources:  9x12 heavy drawing paper, markers, sharpies, pencils, scissors, 9x12 black construction paper or heavier paper works best

Methods/Procedures:

A.     Getting Started:  Ask students if they remember what the 7 elements of art are.  Then ask if someone can come up to the board and draw an example of line (have a few students do this to get a few different examples).  Then ask students if they remember what pattern is?  Look for the key word “Repeat.”  Then ask students to come up to the board to draw examples of pattern.

B.     Show students how to draw lines and patterns inside of their geometric shapes using color.  Tell them that they should use a variety of patterns and lines, but stick to a certain pattern or line combination in one shape.  Treat each shape as an individual, making it different from all of the rest.                  

       Have students use colored markers to color line and pattern in their geometric shapes.  Remind them to use a “Variety” of line and pattern.  Ask and explain to them what variety is. 

C.     Closure: Ask students what it means to have a variety?

D.    Assessment:  Students finished relief sculpture.

Day 3

Lesson Purpose:  To introduce students to the elements and principles of art.

Objectives:  Students will be able to tell the difference between a 2D and 3D piece of art and share ideas through the creation of a paper relief sculpture.

Vocabulary: Line, Pattern, Organic shapes, 2D, 3D, variety, relief sculpture

Materials/resources: 9X12 heavy drawing paper, colored markers, sharpies, pencils, scissors, 9X12 black construction paper, stapler

Methods/Procedures:

A.     Getting started:  Ask students if they remember what the difference between 2D and 3D is. Have them point out an example in the room or draw an example on the board and explain why it is a good example.  Then explain to students what a relief sculpture is.  Explain to them that it is a sculpture that isn’t free standing, but is attached to a background and has a 3d look to it.

B.     1.) Show students how to cut along the lines of the organic shapes.  Remind students to make sure that each shape is still connected by about a half an inch of paper, but the rest of every shape should be cut out.                                                                          

      3.) Lastly, show them an example of a paper sculpture that is stapled to a black piece of paper.  Tell them to start by stapling any shape near the edge then move it so it pops off the paper and staple it again.  Continue to do it to every shape.  Have them proceed to do the same once they are finished with their coloring and cutting.

C.     Closure:  Ask students what a relief sculpture is?

D.    Assessment:  Students finished paper relief sculpture.

While I made up these lessons off of the one we received in our class, I have added a few ideas of my own and here are a few more suggestions I have after teaching the lesson:

1.  Use a smaller size sheet of paper if you want to take up less days.  Maybe half of the kids I had in the  larger classes finished after three days.

2.  Only allow them to draw 7-10 organic shapes with this size sheet of paper.  Without this direction students would draw way too many, not to mention small shapes.  This limitation cut that down.

3.  Dont's for the students when drawing their organic shapes:
     -Don't use the edge of your paper to create your organic shape
      -Do not draw super swirly shapes (they are too hard to cut out)
     -Do not use super squiggly lines  (Also to hard to cut out)

4.  Make sure to explain it step by step at the students pace, else you will be repeating even more and have many students who will mess up on their project.

5.  Have students sketch out their organic shapes first so that you can check it and make sure they are doing it correctly, then have them draw it on the nice sheet of paper and outline with black marker.

6.  1st- go over organic shapes
     2nd- go over line & pattern
     3rd-  go over cutting
     4th-  go over stapeling

7.  Only let them use 1-3 colors in one shape, else some will over do the color and use them all in every shape and they won't turn out as different.


                                                          Some of my students work : )

Oh and as for the students, they loved the project!!!  So did the other teachers : )

The First Full Week of Teaching

So, Monday was my very first day of teaching my own lesson the entire day.  While in my past field experiences I would get kind of nervous to teach a lesson of my own, this time I wasn't.  Everything went really well.  Most of the kids enjoyed the lesson and the project and participated in the activities.  This made me happy : ).

Well, as the week progressed I had to deal with more discipline issues of not listening, talking back, students fighting with each other, not participating, being disruptive etc.  Oh and on Friday we had to talk about stealing, because some how half of the markers in the classroom have gone missing, and there is no budget for art supplies.  Also most of the students didn't finish what was supposed to be a two day project and ended up being three.  Even though each day got more and more exhausting, we ended it without anyone getting stabbed with scissors or being stapled with a stapler, so I count that as success in itself with these kids.  Oh and after a few good talks my biggest problem student started to follow directions a little bit and started participating.  Just that alone makes everything all worth it!

My teacher says I am doing a great job though and am handling classroom management very well.  I had my first review with my university supervisor on Wednesday, and that also went really well : )  By the end of Friday though, I was completely wiped out and ready for a little break from school.

Some things I have learned while teaching: 

1.)  Teachers do way more than people think they do, so much that it could probably be considered a life style.

2.) Besides being a teacher, you are a parent, a counselor, mentor, and mediator.

3.)  Sticking to your word is key to classroom management.

4.)  They spend a lot of their own money on the kids.

5.)  Grades don't really mean anything.

6.)  Not only is it physically exhausting, but it's mentally and emotionally exhausting as well.

7.)  Getting to know your students is key to being able to teach them anything.

8.)  You can never repeat something too many times.

9.)  Procedures/consistency are also key.

10.)  You can never plan out how the day, week or month will go, so you better be flexible.

11.)  Kids will do anything they can to get away with something.

12.)  Not enough teachers try to reach out to the "Problem child" in the classroom.

13.)  Arguing with a child never gets you anywhere, but neither does arguing with anyone in general.

14.)  Most students need to be taught social kills and life skills.

15.) Every class is different.

Favorite quotes of the week:

"I miss you already Miss. Ha and I haven't even left the room : )."

"Miss you got chalk on your booty."

Thank You

Before I made my way to Houston I had to pack my car and decide carefully on what I would bring down with me.  We all know that my little mustang can only hold so much, and as much as I would love to take everything, I couldn't.  I think growing up in Minnesota has made me that way, never knowing what you are going to need because of the drastic weather changes, so I just pack everything.

Well there is one thing I knew I couldn't leave without... My folder and books of memories and notes of love and encouragement.  Where did I get this you might ask?  From all of you : )  Every little card, letter, note, poem, picture etc.  I have saved, for the times when I feel overwhelmed, lonely, nervous, scared, hurt, sad, well you know the feelings.  Everything all of you; students, friends, family, coworkers etc. have ever given me I have saved and appreciate every piece of it!  I want to thank you all for the memories, the laughs, the smiles, the words of encouragement, the acts of love and kindness, because all of that is what keeps me going.  

So this is a Thank you to everyone that I have ever met whether I have talked to you yesterday or haven't in many years, because you all have a part in this!

Some of your love and encouragement that keeps me going : )

Part of a note our english teacher made us write in high school and sent to us  5 years later.

I Am Here

As I mentioned a little earlier, in my greatest quotes of the week post, one of the teachers in our courtyard just had a little grand baby pass away last week.  Her daughter who lives in Texas also was supposed to be due in about 5 weeks,  when they found out that she had a miscarriage.  The worst part is that the teachers two daughter in laws (who live in Ohio) are due around the same time, so they were all going to have babies around the same time.  They were both born yesterday a few hours apart from each other : ).  I couldn't imagine being a mother/grandmother and not knowing whether to be grieving or happy and joyful all at the same time.  Being torn between being happy for the new babies her sons are having and grieving and trying to be a comfort to your daughter that is grieving a newly lost baby.  I get teary eyed just thinking about it.

But God reminds us in John 14:18 that he is here.

"No, I will not abandon you as orphans- I will come to you."

Well, this same teacher came into our room the other day and said I have to tell you this story.

Her and her husband were shopping in Toys R Us with their grandson, the weekend after loosing their grand baby.  While they were looking at some toys a couple of lady's came up to them and said,  "We were wondering if maybe you two could help us?  We are doing a scavenger hunt, and our words were blonde and toy.  We noticed you both have blonde hair and are shopping in the toy section.  We just have one more word though, lost, are you experiencing any loss at this time?"  And of course they broke down right there and the two lady's prayed with them and went on there way.  

All I can think about is how amazingly God works.  That teacher didn't know those two lady's at all, but somehow they came to the right to people at the right time.  How encouraging is it to know that God is still there and that he uses little things like this to tell us "I am here."

This teacher and her family had been feeling a sense of abandonment, but God said "No, I will not abandon you like orphans-I will come to you."  And he did, they didn't have to go searching, God came to them through those two lady's at the time when they most needed it.

"I have told you this so you may have peace in me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrow.  But, take heart because I have overcome the world."  John 16:33

While we are here on earth we will always experience grief, sorrow, trials, and suffering, because of sin. What we have to remember though is that God is greater than any grief, sorrow, trial or suffering we may be going through.  There is nothing he can't and won't help us get through. 

He then gives us encouragement and a sustaining hope, reminding us that in Heaven there will be no grief, sorrow, trials, or suffering.  

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  All these things are gone forever."  Revelations 21:4

I can't wait for this day!  

Friends

Stephanie and I have been waiting for this moment!  After a month of her living in Texas and the end of my three weeks of living here we finally made friends this weekend!!!  I am so proud of us!  Plus we met friends on our own so that means we will have double the amount : ).  

Well anyway after a long week of being "Mean and Bossy", as my outspoken male students call me now,  one of the teachers at my school invited me out with them Friday night to a place called the Track Shack.  First I had a great dinner at that hole in the wall Mexican place with Steph and her friend Jen that came down to see her.  You hear that someone came to visit Steph, Hint Hint to all of you ; )  We had the same waiter and this time I wasn't the only one that couldn't understand him because Jen couldn't either!!  Ha so Steph pretty much had to translate and talk for us the whole time.  First of all me and Jen thought he had said at one point, when she answered with tr es,  oh "you know some Spanish?"  and then we started talking about how much we knew and I said that my students were teaching me some Spanish blah blah blah.  Well when he left Steph started laughing and informed us that he had asked if we wanted any appetizers, and here we were talking about how much Spanish we knew!  Talk about embarrassing!

Sara on the mic and Tom and Dan being good fans.

After our great little dinner I headed out to the Track Shack.  Ha and if you all could have seen me walking into this place all by myself like I did you would probably have laughed hysterically.  It is straight up country there, Cowboy hats, tight jeans, cowboy boots, cowboy shirts and older adults.  I think us student teachers and the teacher that invited me out her cousin were the youngest ones there.  But hey I found the teacher that invited me and made a few new friends and had a blast!  Best night I have had in Texas so far.  We sang Karaoke, danced, talked, learned to two step, and watched two of the other student teachers, who are from Mankato State, try to lasso one of the teachers.  I met some real life cowboys, met a few other teachers that weren't with the group and talked about teaching and gained some knowledge and good advice.  Oh and did I mention listen to country music all night long!!!  Except for a little bit of hip hop at one point for Elliot : )   Either or I loved it all!

Oh and most importantly I bought a awesome blinging cowgirl belt, from this old man that embroiders all his own cowboy shirts and stuff.  I was so excited to get this belt, you should have seen the huge smile on my face when he walked in with them for me and when I first wore it : )  I will be wearing it every day now probably.

Randy Rogers Band

                                       

Then Sara invited me to come with her and Brooke (the teacher that had originally invited me out Friday) to see Randy Rogers band play.  For you country music fans, their popular song is kiss me in the dark.  That was also a great time.  Standing out listening to good music and people watching in beautiful weather.  We went out to a place after and ended up with this as a souvenir:

Me

                                                                       Long story short some guy found out while we were talking that I was an art teacher, he wanted me to draw him on a napkin and I didn't want to and told him he should draw me since he told me he used to draw.  Ha and this is what I got.

I found another one of these signs!!  This was at the Track Shack.  I asked Sara about them and why most every place says this?!  She said it's because they run with a septic tank.  So now we finally know the mystery behind these signs!  I know you were all dying to know ; )

The Greatest Quotes of the Week

1. "Miss do you have a boyfriend?"  

    "No, Why?"

    "Cause your tall."

2.  "Miss how come you don't wear Jordans?"

     "What?"

      "How come you don't ever wear Jordans like on your feet?"

      "Oh because I have to look older than you and professional."

      

3.  "How do you say your name?" (this girl asks this little boy who is really shy, so I answer)

      "Jose (Ho-zay)."

      "What?! That's not how you say that.  I don't see and H or a Z.  I'm gonna call you Jo-say."

      "No you need to call him by his correct name?"

      "Well that's not how it looks."

      "How would you feel if I called you Des-searia instead of Dez- a-ray?"

      "I would not like that."

4.  "Have ya'all heard of MC Hammer?  You Know like hammer time?" Mrs. Chapa

5.  "I love me a good turkey samwhich you know with the honey mustard and the mayonnaise, mmmm mmmm."  Mr. Stuart

6.  One of our teachers daughters found out today that she had a miscarriage with only 5 weeks left of the pregnancy.  So it was very devastating for and before she left for the day my teacher, another teacher, one of the assistant principles and I gathered around and prayed with her.  As we left the other teacher says, " Thanks for praying with us Miss Wilson that was mighty nice of you."

The assistant principle says "Were a praying school, we might get in trouble for it, but we are gonna pray."  I am so blessed to be around these amazing woman : )

7. Steph- "Your accent is absolutely ridiculous right now."

8.  "You know my name miss?"

      "You know it"

He laughs and says to another kid she said you know it!  Ha and now he says it every time I say something to him.  

9.  So today was full of many disruptive and not listening problems in the classroom.  As I was talking to a boy about not following the same directions three different times he says

"Miss, I think I might have short term memory loss.  You know like that fish on Finding Nemo."

Ha what do you say to that?!

10.  "Miss do you know how to do the shuffle?"

11.  My very favorite quote of the week that makes me laugh every time I think of it is:

    "Mrs. Quiroz, what did you do to Miss Wilson?"

     "What do you mean?"

     "Well she's different.  She's all mean and bossy now."

     another kid jumps in "Well she still smiles."

Ha ha these kids crack me up!!

 

The First Day at Pier One

So monday was my first day at the Pier One in the Woodlands.  Yes, I still have to work unfortunately even though I am gone from 7-5 each day working with kids and exhausted by the time I leave...  But hey at least I have some sort of a job right?!  My first day went well.  The store is much smaller than St. Clouds but has way more stuff inside of it!  So Pier One employees back home we have nothing to complain about!!   The stock room is also super small and more cluttered than I can stand, but hey the employees are nice and pretty easy going as far as I can tell.  I was able to help a few people with some things, but I'm pretty sure it will take me forever to know the store as well as I did in St. Cloud enough to actually help people find things myself.  I did not run into any customers that wanted help putting together flower arrangements, center pieces, mantel decor or wall decor but hopefully I will run into someone soon so I can use some of my talents and have a little fun!

Although I did have to work on labor day I did have a good day.  Before work Steph and I ate at the Potato Patch with her teacher and her family, who are so nice by the way!!  Well me and Steph had been talking about eating at this place for a while so we were excited to finally try it.  We went in and got a table for everyone and sat down for a couple of minutes when a guy walks by with a thing of rolls and yells to us " Are you ready?!" Steph and I just look at each other and say " Ok" and the guy tosses two rolls at us!  Apparently they have people that just go around throwing rolls and muffins to people who want some.  Good thing we can catch!  Steph and I also tried their fried okra and famous fried green tomatoes.  I was a little leery about the fried green tomatoes (which I thought was only the name of a book and movie) but it is now one of my favorite appetizers, as long as I have some ranch to dip them in of course!

Before lunch and before the world had fully awaken I decided to take a morning rollerblading exploration around the neighborhood, which was quite nice and peaceful.  So all in all my labor day went quite well.  Hopefully all of yours did as well!

Two Words for Life Change

So, I'm not really good at repeating what other people have said, but the speaker we had at church this Sunday was so great that I just had to share : ) so bear with me if I am really bad at explaining, I am practicing since I need to be good at explaining things if I am going to be a good teacher.

A lot of people think that going to heaven consists of following rules and doing good deeds, but the truth is, it doesn't.  You can't earn your way into heaven, none of us deserve anything and we certainly could not even get close to be doing enough good things to get in.  Life is the greatest gift and I don' know about you, but if someone died to save me I don't feel as if there is anything I could possibly start to even do to repay them...

That is what is so great about God, we don't have to try and earn our way or try to pay back anything.  What do we have to do then you ask?  The most simplest thing you can do, but for many is hard to do or even comprehend... just receive this gift.  The first word for life change, RECEIVE.  God sent down his son to live and breath and then be sacrificed all to save us from our sins, you and me, and to know that I don't have to try and do as many good deeds, devotionals, say as many prayers, go to church as much as I possibly can and mess up as least as I can before I die is a relief.

So how do we receive this gift?  First of all receiving a gift requires humility, being humble, not proud.  In other words not acting as if you deserve it, but receiving it with open arms and thankfulness, knowing you don't deserve it, but are thankful for it all.

"God opposes the proud, but favors the humble."  1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6

Secondly, you have to be able to forgive, so that you can be forgiven.  Because if you can't forgive others for the wrongs they have done to you, how can you expect to be fully able to receive a gift of forgiveness yourself?

"So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar.  Go and be reconciled to that person.  Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."Mathew 5:23

Broken relationships can hinder our relationship with God.  You can't worship the lord fully when you are holding a grudge against someone else.  We are hypocrites if we claim to love God while we have a hate for others.  Our attitudes towards others reflects our relationship with God, and that is why it is so important to forgive and needs to be apart of your life in order to fully receive the gift yourself.

So what happens after we receive this great gift?!  The second life changing word, CONTINUE.

No matter what keep going, don't stop, never quit!!  Life gets rough sometimes, we all know that.  We might loose a job, be deep into debt, lost a loved one, fallen ill, had an accident, not be able to pay bills, not able to provide for our families, be caught in a bad situation, etc.  whatever it may be continue in your walk.

"So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation."  1 Peter 5:9

The speaker told us a little story about how there had been a year when there was a really bad drought (kind of like in Texas right now!!) and a tree farmers trees were suffering badly and dying left and right.  Well his neighbors trees were looking pretty good, not great, but they were surviving, so he asked him how much he had been watering them.  He replied, "Just a little here and there.  See when I first planted them, when they were just babies, I barely gave them any water for the first two years of their growth.  This way their roots would grow deeper into the ground and they would be able to stand through a drought or stormy weather.

Just like these trees God may let us go through hard times, but that's when we need to continue to look to him so that our roots grow deep and we can survive the drought and stormy weather when it comes.


"Remain in me and I will remain in you.  For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.  Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.  Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  For apart from me you can do nothing.  Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers.  Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.  But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!  When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples."

So, don't stop, keep going and never ever quit!!  And even if you may going through what you may think may be the worst, someone always has it worse than you do.  Count your blessings!!  We were told to make a list of everything we are thankful for so this is what I thank God for:

My wonderful loving family
My amazing friends
My trusty car
My computer
Love
Clean water
My health
My clean plethora of clothes
My many shoes
All of my books
My job
The ability to walk, talk, hear, taste, feel, and see.
A bed to sleep in
A safe home in Texas and in Minnesota
An Awesome roommate
The ability to attend school
My great cooperating teacher and school
Freedom
The ability to read and write
The ability to go to church and read my bible
My roller blades
My cellphone
My GPS
My hair
Soap
My glasses and contacts
Dishes and utensils to eat with
The opportunity to travel
My camera
Bags to carry things in
Electricity
Clean air
My tooth brush and toothpaste
Face wash
My bible
Shampoo and conditioner
Music
Blankets
Towels
Deodorant
Color crayons
Paper
Paint
Paintbrushes
Markers
Pencils
Pens
Every mistake I ever made
Every good and bad decision I have ever made
Our accomplishments
Wisdom
The awesome students at school
My amazing coworkers back in Cloud
Creation
My heart, soul and mind
Easy transportation
Life
Laughter
Smiles

And the three greatest things I am thankful for are God's grace, love and everlasting life : ) but I'm sure as I grow I will have more things to be thankful for.  What are you thankful for?

Trip to the Ocean #2

Some fun beach graffiti 

Since saturday ended up being a nice day, despite the forecasting for rain, we decided to head to the beach.  When we got there it was pretty windy and since we spent the whole day out on the beach last time we decided to walk around and try to find the bar and grill that we saw had a pool in it.

While walking along the boardwalk we saw a bunch of people out surfing!  I have never seen anyone surf in real life before so I thought that was pretty cool.  Plus it is one of the things on my list of things to do before I die, I want to learn how to surf : )

After a very long walk we finally found the place with the pool!!  I went to go grab a chair to sit on and ended up talking to some older people who were very nice and welcoming.  Ha and even though Steph made the comment, "You had to find the oldest people here didn't you?" (even though I am pretty sure most of the people that were at that place were mostly older than us) we stayed at that place all day long just talking and having a good time.






                                             This place had the best Messy Nachos ever!!

                                                      Ha this is my favorite picture of us.
                                                   (We obviously were not ready for that)

So even though we made the trip to go to the beach we ended up not even stepping a foot into the water.

TGIF!!!

So I survived my first week of school thanks to everyones love and support, God's help, the great staff at my school, my awesome family and the bestest ohio roommate ever!  I love all of you and appreciate every thing!

Before my full week of class was over though we had quite the exciting friday!  Mrs. Quiroz and I were busy all morning with meetings, lesson planning and grading so busy that we almost forgot to eat lunch.
Well while we were eating lunch my teacher goes "Ahh there is a mouse!"  and sure enough there is a baby mouse sitting under the table in our classroom!!  As much as mice and any rodent freaks me out I decided to try and catch it, ha and what a sight this was!  Keep in mind that my teacher hates mice.

Well I take a box and wait for it to come out of the closet.  It starts running toward my teacher while she is screaming and tapping a book on the ground in front of the mouse, so that way it would run into my box.  Well it just kept running towards her as she's screaming and jumps out of the way, I keep chasing it with the box hoping to corner it, laughing all along while another teacher is taking pictures of the scene.
Well this mouse new how to jump and jumped right into a crack between the wall and our cupboard.  Oh great now what do we do?!  Me being quite the handy man that I am tried to set up a little trap and put some food out to catch it while my teacher shoves any food that she has into the fridge (she found granola bars that had holes in the wrappers!) and puts all her bags that were on the floor on a shelve.

A teacher in the room next to us printer wasn't working either that day and when they opened it to try and fix the issue guess what suprise they found?!  Nope not a mouse but a lizard!!  It was a crazy day at Escamilla let me tell you!

                                                                                                                                                              After ending my first week at school Steph's cousin took us out to a gourmet pizza place for dinner in The Woodlands.    The Woodlands is a very nice area of million dollar houses, a beautiful mall and many nice restaurants and shopping areas.  Around the area there is a man made river, some splash pads and fountains and this really cool fountain that lights up and creates a light show to music.

After exploring the are for a while we were able to be seated.  The restaurant was very cute there were old black and white photos on the wall, the lights were wine bottles, and you could watch the pizza being made.

 To order you pick whatever size pizza you would like along with what kind, sauce, white sauce and garlic or pesto.  Than you choose from a wide variety of toppings, so you build your very own pizza!!

I chose to do a white sauce with garlic and put grilled chicken, dried tomatoes and onions on it.  It was so delicious!!

It was a good end to a good and crazy first week.