What Is Going On?

Because of my job, I am able to work with the students who require extra services outside of the classroom. I really enjoy it and it is good practice for when I become a mom. Just because of what I know and do everyday, I wouldn't be surprised if Heavenly Father sends me a child or children with some kind of learning impairment. Anyhow, for anyone that works in schools or even in Primary, you will understand when I say you always can tell the students who come from good homes and have parents that take an active role in their child's education and Gospel learning. I currently work with 33 students on a weekly basis and I would say only 20% of them have parents who work with them everyday and emphasize and re-iterate what they learned in school. I can always tell before I meet the parents, what they are going to be like after working with their child for so long. It is never a shock when I find out if it is a broken home, single parent, living with Grandma, ect and my heart just breaks for these kids. I went to an IEP meeting last week and the parent didn't even know their child's age. We had to tell them how old she was. I work with 4 kids from the same family and it is not a good situation at home. I don't know all the details obviously but I know enough and it is no surprise why I have all 4. They are so far behind and the older they get, the wider the gap is, which means they will fall further and further behind in the classroom. Here is a perfect example of what I am talking about: I work with one of the kids once a week for an hour. I show the student a picture and have them give me two-three descriptors for the picture prompt.

Prompt: a picture of an American Flag

Student description: um...flag...

me: tell me about the flag..

student: well...you go to store and buy flag...and then you take home...and then somebody steal it...and get in trouble...and policeman come...and then go to jail...and...

Picture prompt: a pencil

student: a pencil

me: ok tell me about the pencil...what do you do with a pencil? What does it look like?

Student: well...you use to drawed with...

Me: (after correcting use of grammar) what does it look like:

Student: well...um....somebody poke you with it...and then it hurt you...and get in trouble...and somebody go to jail...

Excuse me?? I was speechless. WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR HOMES!! How telling this simple example is of what kind of home this child comes from. We have been taught by living prophets that the home is the fundamental unit of society and how true that is! I find that to be more and more true as I work with these kids everyday. Some don't even have a fighting chance when they enter this world because their parents are off the deep end and what happens? These kids end up on the streets, pregnant, doing drugs, getting involved in the wrong crowd and end up in trouble and some in jail.

I know I have always wanted to be a Mom. But the more and more I work in the school systems, the more I see the importance of being a good mom and one who is dedicated to their success in the classroom, in the home, in social life, in their extracurricular activities and in the Gospel. I know I will take this so seriously. I always tease that my children will be talking out of the womb (not realistic obviously) but I know I will be so on their tail with school work, with their behavior in out of the classroom, with what they do in their spare time, with who their friends are and trying my best to teach them correct principles so they can learn to govern themselves. (Easier said then done I know) Why? Because it is our obligation and priviledge to raise good and honorable children so they can take on the evils of our day. And as they use to always say at school..."The Glory of God is Intelligence."

To all those mothers out there...please, please, please work with your kids. So much depends on it. I mean it does keep me in a good job, but if I really felt that way then I would be missing the point entirely. Ok I am off my soap box now. I was just stunned this morning and can't stop thinking about it.

Happy Monday!

Bon Qui Qui

Lymphoma Run Update

Hello all my fellow runners!  We will be having the run in my neighborhood.  My address is 4618 East Hopi Ave Mesa AZ 85206 and we will just do registration and all that fun stuff at the park across the street.  So far I have 26 commitments.  Bring your family and friends.  It isn't on any main roads but up and down Hampton and 48th street behind the hospital on Higley and Baseline.  It will be fun!  I am still trying to get a grocery store to donate bottled water and oranges.  What time do you think we should begin registration?  I have 8am but maybe 7am would be better.  What do you think?  My brother-in-law is running a 10K with me this Saturday.  Should be fun!  He is 6'4 so there is no way our pace will be the same.  Wish us luck!

Post Graduation

I can't sleep.  So my mind has wandered back to this memory.  It has been one year since this happened:

I graduated from college.  These past few weeks have been especially difficult and it has made me reflect back to when things were more simple.  But the grass is ALWAYS greener on the other side.  I remember being in school and thinking back to when things were easier.  But that is the beauty of life.  It never gets easier, but your capability to handle life, gets stronger.  Well that is the goal at least, right?  BYU graduation is this week and since things are tough right now, it made me want to be back in Provo for some reason.  I was excited to graudate.  I wanted to move back east.  I wanted to do grad school.  I had more fire in me for that sort of thing.  And then...I moved back home to Mesa.  Didn't know why but it felt like the right thing to do at the time.  Anyhow, I do miss certain things about college and Provo.  I miss the spring and summers. I miss my Grandma. I miss the mountains.  I miss my ward, I miss Bishop Rose and Brother Henley, I miss my friends.  I miss college life in general.  I miss knowing I can go to J-Dogs if I wanted to.  (Not that I went there a lot, but it was an option then.)  But then I realized, I can't think that way.  I need to embrace where I am now.  I really don't think about Provo that much, but maybe more right now b/c it is getting hotter down here and I miss my life up there sometimes.  But life is about moving on, accepting change and trying to the very best you can. 

I believe Jenkin Lloyd Jones said it best:

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey … delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

I couldn't agree more with this quote.  Life is about appreciating the simple things in life.  I need to get back to having a gratitude journal I decided.

But I have learned or re-learned a few things this past year since becoming a BYU Alumni:

1. You learn WAY MORE hands on then in books

2.  There really are a lot of kids with speech and language delays

3. Student wards have a different vibe then singles wards.  Not sure why, but it seems like it

4. Family is great...but moving out and being back on your own is great too

5. People will still disappoint you, but you just have to try to forgive and serve them

6. BYU was REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hard but wonderful at the same time

7. There is life outside the library...I now go to check-out books

9. Take advantage of every opportunity you can; it may never come again

10. Having clean, considerate roommates is amazing

11. Your heart can still break. You can still feel pain and hurt and fear and frustration no matter what age or stage you are in.  It is part of life and you have to do you best to replace it with faith. 

13.  It is only when you take the focus off yourself, do you feel happier and more free from self-pitty and self doubt: Satan's greatest tool

12. And the Gospel is still true, we have a Heavenly Father and Savior who love us and are watching over us.  We just need to stay close to them and seek their spirit.  We can never go wrong if we do that.  I am going through the temple next week (no I am not engaged) and I am very excited for this experience.  I have been waiting a long time and I look forward to the spirit I will feel there and the covenants I will make. 

All in all, life is good.  As long as I passed the AEPA exam:) I find out next week.  It is now 1:12 AM and I need to try and get some sleep.  Long day.  8 kids to work with.  8 kids to try and help communicate more effectively (easier said then done).  8 goals to try and improve.  8 opportunites to be patient and loving and happy.

And in the final words of Jamie Oliver: Cheers!

Lymphoma Run

Most of you probably already got an invite on Facebook but I thought I would write on my blog as well.  Stacie and I have put together a "Lymphoma Run".  I have been wanting to run a half marathon for a really long time and it is too bloody hot to do one down here in the summer and the others I want to do I can't for various reasons: not enough money and Sundays.  Anyhow, we put together a run to raise money for the Lymphoma foundation.  It is purely donations but the first 25 people can get shirts for $5 each.  I have been looking into a park to run it at but I have run into some hurdles.  In order to use Red Mountain Park or Usery or any big park, I have to pay a huge fee to reserve it AND have $1-$2 million in liability insurance.  EXCUSE ME!!  The lady on the phone said I could do it through my home insurance.  Whatever.  I just want to raise money for a foundation very close to my heart with like 50 people and she was acting like I was hosting an event for the whole state of Arizona. I am afraid I was a little sassy on the phone with her, but she is just doing her job even though she wasn't very helpful.  But yes I am over it.

So I was thinking Harmony Park over on 32nd street and we could just come up with a route around the park and a few streets.  It would be a 2 mile run/walk and a 4 mile run. 

Date: Saturday May 15th

Time: 8-11am

Place: To be Determined

Why: to perform your human duty and help out a speical cause

I will be updating you for information.  But please come and donate or support a very special cause.  I am a cancer survivor but ashamed to admit that I don't do much for the cause until now and why not add running to it?? 

Seriously!!!

They better

get to the

point...

and they better

get there

FAST...

HELLO!!!

Easter Weekend

I forgot how much I love the springtime here in Mesa.  Well I am not exactly sure you can call it Spring because it doesn't last very long, but the middle of March to the middle of May is the best.  You can smell the orange blossoms in the air and the weather is nearly perfect.  And it is Easter time and that means the Easter Pageant.  We went Friday night and had a lot of fun.  I haven't been in a few years and even though I have seen it dozens and dozens of times growing up, it is still amazing each time.

Here is Stacie and her cute boyfriend Jesse.  The funny thing is I grew up with Jesse and have known him since like 7th grade and it is fun to see him and Stacie together.  They make a great couple.

This picture and the next is awesome.  I went to take a picture of the stage, and this boy smiled for my pictures.  He is no dummy.  So funny. 

And here he is again...Love it!

And then we hit up Applebees after of course

During Priesthood session, we always go and get icecream with Rachel and the boys.  Here is cute baby Nixon.  He is 5 months now.  Isn't that amazing??

Jack...we love him

My cute sister Rachel

Kaden

Me and baby Nixon

Sunday after dinner we went to the park for an easter egg hunt.  A few other neighborhood kids joined and it didn't really last very long but it was nice to get outside.  The weather was beautiful!

I am loving Kaden's face in this picture

For dinner I made a peach crisp with maple cream sauce.  It was good (well the pan is empty) and pretty easy. Sorry for the lack of pictures.  While I was making it, I didn't have my camera and then I got to serving and totally forgot to take a picture.  You would think I would be better at this picture thing...but I am not. I would recommend cutting the butter in really small pieces when you mix it with the flour mixture.  Even though the cream sauce doesn't seem like it would be enough, it is.  I doubled it to be sure and it was too much which meant I had to stir for a straight 35 minutes instead of 20.  But here ya go....

Cream Sauce Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

5 tablespoons pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Peach crisp:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick of cold butter

6 peaches peeled and sliced

grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Begin my making the cream sauce because it will need to chill in the fridge for at least an hour.  Pour cream into a heavy saucepan.  Add the maple syrup and corn syrup.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and reduced by a third.  This is where the 20 mintues comes in.  Chill in fridge for at least an hour. 

To prepare the crisp, preheat oven to 350.  Start with the crumb mixture.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and salt.  Cut the cold butter into small pieces.  Add the butter to the bowl and use a fork to cut into the flour mixture.  The mixture should resemble a moist, coarse meal.  Place the peeled and sliced peaches in a bowl and add the lemon zest to the peaches.  Mix in the lemon juice and the maple syrup and gently stir to combine.  Pour the peaches into a 9 or 8x12 baking dish.  Top with the crumb mixture and cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for 30 more, or until the topping is crisp and golden brown.  Spoon the warm crisp onto a plate and drizzle the chilled maple cream sauce over the top.  I served with vanilla ice cream and love....

I hope you all had a great Easter too.  I am so grateful when conference falls on Easter Sunday.  I love conference and am so grateful for a living prophet is who the mouthpiece of our Savior.  What wonderful counsel they gave us and much needed in a world that is becoming more and more evil.  I always look forward to the May and November Ensigns so I can pack it around and study the talks.  The church is true!! 

Happy Easter!