I'll Take Prepositions for $1000, Alex

I love those moments in life when you find peace and resolution to old hurts. It's those moments when you get to give a hug to the little girl or little boy inside of you and say, "See, you turned okay, afterall." Today, was one of those days for me.

As a 7th grader at a particular junior high, I was awkward, painfully shy, an introvert and one academically gifted "nerd" who was capable of feeling an unusual amount of empathy. I didn't feel like I belonged anywhere, though I desperately wanted to belong somewhere. You know those kids. They are the ones who make blankets for homeless people by saving all their babysitting money, but none of their peers really know them since these kids find it excruciatingly painful to start a conversation with someone. These kids sound great to adults. They are so polite, people-pleasing, quiet, but often they have a hard time trudging through adolescence with their peers. They want to be the cheerleader, but clumsiness gets the better of them. They want to be the drama star, but their voice is too soft to project. They want to be the jovial class clown sometimes, but it's not in their DNA. Their introverted nature begs them to do all they can to avoid centerstage...heck, to even avoid the whole theater if they can.

This introverted nature can pose a problem in the classroom sometimes, too. As an educator, I try to be very aware of these students and to provide them what they need. I did not have this type of educator in my 7th grade language arts class. She was rigid, exclusive and ultimately concerned that she was wearing the latest fashion. I was not her favorite. I knew this. My parents weren't doctors, and I couldn't care less that she drove a white Mercedes-Benz with lots of chrome adornment. I loved my dad's Volkswagen Bug! It was the best! It screamed fun, laughter and kindess. Her car screamed, "Don't touch me. I'm better than you." I remember that Benz because she took great pangs to tell us not to scratch her key hole when we unlocked her door if ever we fetched "stuff" she had left in it. I hated that car. I would say unkind things in my head everytime she gave the "keyhole" speech to a student, and I wondered why she just didn't go get the stuff herself if it was important not to scratch that keyhole.

I recall on one occasion she polled the class to see which former elementary schools had sent us to her. I was from Warlick. It was a sweet little elementary school with a family-like nature (interesting that it is now an alternative school). I was loved and cherished, and for the first time this shy little girl felt valuable at school, and it began there at Warlick. I LOVED Warlick! My teacher did not love Warlick. Warlick was not the affluent school in my junior high school's feeder, so my teacher was not impressed. She would often voice her beliefs, "Oh, I see. That makes sense now. You came from so and so"...or "You came from Warlick".

A day that will forever be etched in my memory was prepostional phrase day. This day was a turning point for me forever. I was having a day where I was quite unfocused.  I was overthinking everything as introverts often do. We notice what others do not notice in a room, and my empathetic, intuitive nature allows me to feel what others miss. So, I was thinking, overthinking, rethinking, postulating and not focused on finding the prepositions and prepositional phrases that we were discussing in our assigned rote and practice text. I was academically gifted and this was SO boring to me! Finally, while I was solving world peace on Mars, my teacher called on me to respond. I hadn't even heard the question. I had NO clue what the answer was. I asked her would she repeat the question. She promptly let me know she would not. I should have been paying attention Nevertheless, I was still required to answer this elusive question. She waited for what felt like hours. All eyes were on me. I began calling out words, phrases, sentences, pulling needles out of haystacks and sending up S.O.S. signals like mad. Each attempt was met with a negative response and great displeasure. The class waited on me. There was no direction from her, and I clearly would have answered correctly had I known the question. My gifted area is language arts. Minutes passed in this humiliating predicament. My brain was scrambling. My heart was pounding. My cheeks were scarlet. My eyes kept meeting hers begging for help. None was to be found. Finally, there was a defining moment for me. This people-pleasing, obedient, rule-following young lady snapped. I decided I could wait and stare at her as long as she could wait. I decided I would try no more. I wasn't going to call out any more words for her little charade. She could help me or we could play a game of standoff. I didn't care, and I inteneded to win. We waited. She asked for a response. I stared. She told me to look at my text. I stared. She prompted. I stared. Finally, she asked the question that I missed. I stared.  I was done, and ultimately I won. The sad thing is I lost the battle for learning something new. I missed an educational opportunity though I won the battle of wits.

I learned so much that day that I carry with me now. I learned that I will never humiliate a child like that in my care. I will endeavor to do all I can to make each child feel valuable. I will repeat a question if needed. I will help each child feel a part of the community. Most importantly, I will NEVER give the keyhole speech (never have and I have had more than a few students "fetch" things for me).

Today, as I got to teach in that same school where I had been a student myself. The classroom where I was teaching and all the rest in that building looked vastly different from my former experience as a student there. I was grateful. There was laughter, learning, kindess, engagement. I took a few moments to pass the room where I had spent hours with this teacher many years ago. The same room where I stared at the clock on the last day of school and said a sincere pray of thanks that God had helped me survive that year. I paused and stared at lockers near this old room. I looked at the new name plate over the door; and I smiled. I hugged the little Lisa inside of me, and said, "The answer is: 'to the store', Mrs. So and So. There is your prepositional phrase, and thank you for making me a better educator. Thank you for teaching me one of the greatest lessons in my career. Because of you, my children wanted to learn in my class, today. They thanked me. They smiled. I smiled, too. I am sorry you missed what a joy it is to smile with your students, but I am thankful that you showed me what not to do. So, there ya have it, Mrs. So and so...'to the store' is the answer.

It Only Takes a Spark

It has been said, "It only takes a spark to get a fire going." This is true! Sometimes big, wonderful things come from a little ol' spark. This spark began as an assistant princiapl encouraged one of his teachers to take a blog challenge. She, in turn, encouraged someone else pretty special, and that sweet person encouraged me. I am hoping that I will spark a few more to join this very fulfilling journey.

I am a blogger, persay. I have always journaled and have recently began putting some of those 'journals" into blog form. This is a new journey for me. Until recent years, I haven't been the easiest person to get to know. I have always been a bit on the shy side and have chosen to remain in the background. I have also been very private. Life experiences, a newfound comfortableness in my own skin and some self reflection have made for a change--a change that I really like. So, I am only TOO happy to take this blog challenge and am very grateful to Tammy Mims for inviting me!


The first requirement is to Share 11 random facts about yourself:
Hmmmm! Let's see! What random facts will make the top 11???

1. I am a twin and find my self doing things in "two's" somehow. I have lived in the same house twice (one that we did not own). I have worked at WCF twice and at TSS twice. My address is 1212 (two number 2's), and  I was born on December 2. I'm not superstitious, but I think this is really fascinating. I could go on and on, but I will continue.
2. I love every living creature imaginable. I would invite them all to live with me, and think Noah had the most awesome job ever!! How great to get all the animals in the world to move in with you!! (My hubby would vehementrly disagree).
3. Some of my sweetest memories as a child were having tea parties with my sister while my brother was trying to throw worms on us...Boys! Can't live with 'em. Can't live without them!
4. One of the sweetest dates I had with Jamie was when he took me to spend a day in Asheville. We toured where he lived in college, and he took me to the zoo. Animals are not his favorite thing, but he knows they are mine. At the end of the date, he even gave me the cutest stuffed pig. I preferred that to flowers or candy...and even jewelry. Truly! I still have the pig.
5. I still think Elvis Pressley is gorgeous!! Yep! I love his mischievious grin and his big blue eyes...I love his music and can be found listening to the Carpenters, Captain and Tennielle, Anne Murray, etc. I'm a music geek.
6. I have a secrect obsession with elephants and hummingbirds. I collect items representing both of them.
7. This may not be random. Most people know this about me. I LOVE bubble baths. They are the greatest way to change my mood and make me smile.
8. One of the sweetest, simplest joys of my day is when my Japanese Chin leans into my face and presses her nose against mine and just holds it there while her beautiful bug eyes look at mine. It's kinda like she is saying, "Hello, Mommy...here's a kiss." I love it. She makes my heart smile.
9. Two of my sweetest memories of my children: When Tyler was only a few weeks old and he awoke hungry, I was SO tired, but when I had finished feeding him, I swear he smiled so sweetly at me as the moonlight shone through the window. I pledged I would never sleep again if he preferred that. The other is the moment Meleah was born. Her labor so simple, and she was so easily contented. She snuggled in my arms and just loved being near me. I could feel her breathe and hear her coo. I truly believed I was holding a blue-eyed angel!
10. I like people's hands. I think you can tell a lot about a person by looking at his/her hands.
11. Carter Louis Montgomery and Mari Elizabeth McCosh have been two of the most wonderful gifts to me. I didn't know that my life was incomplete without them. I was blessed to introduce Mari to her mommy, my sweet sister (How many people can say that??). I was equally blessed to look into the eyes of the sweetest boy I have ever met (sorry Tyler) and tell him I was his Nana Lisa (He calls me Nina...my favorite name!)

Answers to Tammy's Questions:
1. What are three words that describe you best? kind, giving, sensitive (This is me http://www.personalitypage.com/ENFJ.html )

2. If you were granted one wish, what would your wish be and why? I would wish to eat whatever I wanted and always remain slim!! LOL! I believe that is most girls' wish. :)

3. Your TV will only play one show. What show is it and why this show? I don't really get a lot of time to watch TV. I am SUPER ignorant about what is even on TV right now. I do enjoy starting my day listeing to a few ministers: Pastor Prince, Jentezen Franklin, James Robison. I have also enjoyed listening to recordings of Christine Caine. This starts my day with the rememberance to love God and love people. It also reminds me to look for moments in which to be thankful.

4. What is your favorite movie of all time? Wow! I like everything from the "Beauty and the Beast" cartoon to "Gone with the Wind"; however, my favorite pop culture movie is "The Wedding Planner" (or almost anything with Matthew Mcconaughey--nuff said). Favorite quote from the movie referring to M&M's:

Steve: "Why are you only eating the brown ones?"

Mary: "Because someone once said that they had less artificial coloring because chocolate's already brown. And it kind of stayed with me."

Steve: "You kind of stayed with me."

Ahhhhh!!! Be still my heart

5. If you could go back in time, what "time" would you go to and why? Umm...I really like medical advancements of the 21st Century and the advancements in Civil Rights as well as the improvements in Women's Rights (although we still have a ways to do), but if I did go back, I like the late 19th Century. I love the whole Little House on the Prairie, one room school house idea.
6. What do you plan to do when you retire? When I retire (which is 1000 years away), I want to volunteer in nursing homes, orphanges, animal hospitals, etc. I want to give the love that is my heart to those who may need it. There is nothing that brings me more joy than this.
7. Do you have a personal philosophy? If so what? My philosophy is simple. Love God with all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength and love your neighbor (which is everyone else) as yourself. Do good to those that curse you. Show mercy to those that abuse you, and know that you don't have to do this within your strength. The more you rely on God to do these things for you and through you, the more it will happen. Less of me...more of Him.
8. What is your "safe place"? My safe place is in my bath tub listening to my favorite music and watching the candles flicker around the dim room. Everything makes perfect sense in that moment!
9. You have an empty refrigerator and an empty pantry. You have $10. What do you do? I do what any self respecting Southerner would do. I buy some grits and pecan pie! Grits are the soul food to get you through this tough situation. Pecan pie makes ya not care how bad it is!!
10. What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep at night? The last thing I do each night is thank the Lord for my day and for His gracious provision. I pray for peace, protection, and prosperity for my family, my friends, my coworkers and their families, and I pray for any others that God brings to my remembrance.
11.What is your favorite app/technology? Why? Well...as an instructional technology facilitator, I feel pressure to say something bedazzling; however, I in my new found confidence (LOL!), I will leave that to the ITF boys. Quite honestly, my favorite piece of technology is my Smart phone. I can take beautiful pictures, find a yummy recipe, buy a new pair of socks, Facetime my family in Michigan, send a text message to my child, pull up a Google document, play a game of Candy Crush, watch a movie on Netflix, email my colleagues and even make phone call on that little trusty devise. It's pretty cool where we have advanced in the last 20 years! I remember the days of frantically trying to find a pay phone to let my dad know I would be a little behind curfew (kinda glad we didn't have Facetime in those days...LOL!) So, yes, the phone is my my "favoritest" pick.

I am challenging:
1. Traci McCosh
2. Amy Crocker
3. Aundrea Jenkins
4. Debby Ray
5. Chrissie Lunsford
6. Sandra Engbarth
7. Teresa Thomassen
8. Elizabeth Spencer
9. Lynn Harstin
10. Chris Goodson
11. Becky Duncan

My Questions:
1. What is your favorite and least favorite words? Why?
2.What is the habit you are most proud of breaking and why? Or what habit would you like to break?
3. Describe something that happend to you for which you had no explanation?
4. What is the longest you have gone without sleep? Why?
5. What is the most memorable class you have taken? Describe it.
6. What is the most terrifying moment of you life so far?
7. If you could spend the day with anyone (living or dead) who would it be?
8. Do you believe honesty is the best policy? Why or why not?
9. Which cartoon character do you resemble the most?
10. If you could have personally witnessed anything, what would you want to have seen?
11. How do you start a conversation with someone you don't know but want to know?

The Guidelines of Your Challenge:
1.  Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
2.  Share 11 random facts about yourself.
3.  Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
4.  List 11 bloggers, excluding the blogger who nominated you.
5.  Post 11 questions for the bloggers you have listed to answer.
6.  Let the bloggers know you have nominated them.
7.  Post back here in the comment section a link to your post.