Identity Experiment

In my very cool, interesting class this semester, we are examining American Indian identity as attained and portrayed through various forms of autobiography. To begin the class, my very clever professor handed out a sheet that contained anecdotes about various guest speakers we were to have. The anecdotes were often times oppositional, for example, one guest lecturer was so poor he worked as a farm hand in New Mexico for 10 dollars a week, while another guest lecturer attendedHarvard and had lived internationally, and his wife has given away millions of dollars. The punch line? It was all experiences he had in his life. Our assignment was to create a similar page of identities.

For example:
: acted as a chauffuer on the autobahn, is wanted by the police in Switzerland
: award winning cake baker whose creations have sold for as much as 125 dollars.
:almost failed kindergarten, painfully average student whose whole goal for high school was to attend four proms.
: holds two college degrees and is working on a third.

All of these are small happenings in my life. If you read one of them, you begin to formulate a picture about my life. If you don't know me, you might assume that I am Rachael Ray, or that I was shallow in high school. This whole experiment got me thinking about my walk as a Christian. In my life, I have behaved horribly at times. I have done things that would certainly make people think that I am not a Christian, nor would they witness at that moment the wonderful things Christ has done for me. In the same vein, I have done some really churchy things, like attended chapel every day at a Christian school, or worked with inner city youth through a church program. I think that this identity experiment reminds me why it is important not to judge other's based on a short dialogue or experience I share with them. I was reading in the Bible the other day in Proverbs, and the scripture said something like do not remember every word that people say, because when they curse you, you will not forget it and will hold it against them, all the while knowing that you yourself have cursed others who should then hold this against you. We all fall short of the goal set by Christ when attempting to be Christians. That is why we needed his redeeming, amazing love and sacrifice. I am constantly amazed by how God teaches me through my school experiences, and I am really thankful for his lessons.

Jack's Little Gym Graduation

When I took Jack for Little Gym yesterday, I found out that it was graduation day. YIKES. I am sure I had a schedule, and they did call and tell me to remember a camera, but I have a mental block when it comes to events that require cameras. So, these are from my cell phone. A lot of Moms and Dads were there with video cameras. We got to go into the gym, and controlling Molly was...interesting. She tried to get in the middle of the routines. She ran around saying chase me. I was exhausted! But, I did get some pics. of Jack, who was running around with another sweet red headed boy saying Bobos in the windows! A local (very opinionated) radio/tv personality was there, and I am really hoping he doesn't discuss how bad a mom I was. Right when he tried to take a picture of his son receiving his award, I had to run and catch Molly Ann, she was headed up to play with him on the pedestal! I have nixed Little Gym for the spring, because chasing Molly isn't fun! Maybe when we all get older. I'd like to put Jack in karate when he turns four, so maybe then.

This picture of Molly kind of says it all. She was...um...very confident? (okay, maybe defiant.) She got a few spankings in the course of the graduation. But, she did like playing on the equipment.

This is really amusing

Mike Cope posted a link to this article on his blog. It is amusing. I wish I could train myself with these techniques!
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/25/fashion/25love.html?ex=1184130000&en=e434837ef9e0950f&ei=5087&excamp=mkt_at1

Jack's new school

I have been trying to blog about our anniversary trip: it was so cool, but I haven't been able to upload the Van Goghs that we saw when we went to the Dallas Museum of Art exhibit on Thursday night. That was the last weekend, and we had to wait in lines for almost 45 minutes. It was amazing, and I'll write more about it and the Hyatt Lost Pines in Bastrop later. Today, I just picked up Jackson from his second day of new school at Highland Meadows Christian Church. It is an amazing school. His first day, he cried for about one minute, and then became lost in rodeo day. They had real pony rides, tricycle and stick horse races, among other things. His teacher, Miss Bessie is amazing. She had been teaching art at Faith Christian School, but now is at Highland Meadows. She obviously has the class under control, and Jackson loves her! Today, he was the mailman and was so happy. Each day when I have gone to pick him up, he is asleep, zonked out on the cute Veggie Tales mat his nanna made, covered up tight in his Cars Quilt with his head on his Cars pillow. The school seems really well organized, and Jackson's class is made up of August birthdays. I really feel like it is an answer to prayers. I know I have a few readers who are preschool teachers, and let me just assure you how much of a difference you make in the lives of your students! We feel Ms. Bessie is an answer to prayers, as well as her helper, Ms. Marcy. She is kind but firm, and she told me her first 3 year old class is now in middle school! It is such a relief to see him happy in a place without me. He now feels more confident and happy that he has friends at school. So, to all you preschool teachers (for sure, I know of PP and LP) your kindness and compassion is a God given gift, and I know your students and their parents appreciate it as much as I do.
Just a note about the preschool: it is located at Highland Meadows Christian Church, and it is also NAEYC certified, which isn't easy to do. The director of the school is amazing as well. She is confident but not overly effuse. She is proud of her school and her teachers, and she reminds me of a principal I taught for, J. Lin. in AISD, who ran a very effective school for many years. The atmosphere of Highland Meadows Christian School seems to be calm, relaxed, but disciplined. The school offers a Friday class for 3 and 4 year olds to learn Spanish, computers and a lot of focused science. I am pleased with the first two days, mostly because Jackson was too busy to notice I wasn't there, and too involved delivering the mail, riding stick horses, reading, counting, learning about what crops Texas produce and about how God loves us to care that I wasn't there. It gave me lots of time with just Molly, which was a wonderful. WE did Yoga, and although it was supposed to be relaxing, mostly I had to watch out for Molly's pouncing on me like Tigger! But, that is probably another blog, about a Yoga pose with one eye opened. Perhaps it should be named, down dog, head slightly erect and eye following onery 18 month old!
I'll post soon about the vacation, and Nanna and Papa, whom my children adore!

I wish we did this!

here is a story i read about on Yahoo about how many european countries pay families to help with the cost of a second child, as well as pay women and men who want to stay home, in some cases for up to 480 days, at least half their salary. In Finland, the average maternity leave is like 6 months or something. I wish the American government would show how much family values really mean! Here is the story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070104/ap_on_re_eu/germany_baby_bonus

Happy Anniversary, Cody and Nicole

3 years ago, Cody, my brother, married Nicole in Vegas, baby! Congratulations. And, this year, they have just bought a house and are preparing it for a sweet baby! Nicole has had two sonograms, and they baby seems great! YEAH!!! I will be an aunt! Jack and Molly have named the baby goose, because they want it to chase them. (like the game, duck duck goose!) I think it is wonderful to almost share an anniversary with my wonderful brother and fabulous sister in law! It makes me smile every year to think about how they married one day before mike and i celebrated our seventh anniversary. I love it! I hope God blesses this year for them with a healthy baby, a smooth delivery, and a baby that sleeps well! Love you guys!

10 year anniversary

On January 4, 1997, Mike and I married in the First Christian Church in Post, (because I had a stringed quartet, and the c of c was acapella only). It was by far the best decision I've ever made in my life. If you know my husband, you know of his quiet, patient and slightly sarcastic style. He has treated me with such kindness and love over the past decade. He is tender, but not suffocating, understanding, but challenging, supportive but not helicopterish. We met when we were 19 years old at ACU. Although I still resent the strong opposition we faced as we prepared to get engaged and marry, I understand how some might doubt that you can discover true love as a teenager. I discovered that true love was nothing like I imagined it: I wasn't swept off my feet by sonnets and serenades! I was taken aback by Mike's humble, kind personality, and by his rock solidness.
To me, he is what every man should strive to be. He leads our house with gentleness and compassion, constantly putting his wants and needs second and third to the kids and me. He is unafraid to challenge my thoughts, but never does it with yelling and belittling. He has become a champion of women's rights, quietly urging all men to put their wives first and constantly assuring me that what I as a woman believe, feel and think is valuable and honorable. He is the head of the household because he is Christ-like in his leadership. Which means he leads by example. Not by reminding me ever that there is a heirarchy to which I should submit.
His intelligence is amazing. God has blessed him with the ability to acclimate to many different jobs. I am so thankful for this! He can switch between being the director of financial reporting, to helping me organize Molly's chest of drawers. He can interact with CEOs and managers just as easily as he interacts with his son, as he acts out the Cars movie. He nudges all these interactions with a soft spoken confidence that melts my heart and soul.
After our first date, (cokes at the Whataburger on Judge Ely), I knew I wanted to marry him. He was happy, smart, had a surprising faith and a wit to go with it, and didn't need me for any fixing! I was charmed and in love, and I predicted that we would marry. And, I am so glad that we did.
Some people fall in love across a room; and I remember seeing him and thinking he was cute. But, when I got to know him, I knew my life would be much worse without him. He is my rock! I am the flaky artsy one who changes her career goals as frequently as the weather, he is the one who supports me and never points this out to me. He is who he has been since I have known him, although he has grown up a little, he is still the teenager I fell in love with. I am so thankful to God for bringing us together and for blessing our marriage with children, and in countless little ways and big ways.
When I was in high school, I was into destiny, poetry and true love. I prayed every night that God would send my true love. I know this seems so immature, but I am confident that God is never judgemental of prayers that are earnest. I earnestly wanted to be with someone that I felt was my true love. When I look at Mike, and watch him when he thinks I am just reading a book or magazine, I know for certain that God has answered that prayer, plus a thousand others that in my mind I never thought to pray. He is a great father, and husband, and person. I am lucky to have spent the last 10 years married to him!