In thinking about.....

I'm just a girl, searching for where God wants me next, but living constanly in the present, reflecting on the past enough to see hope for the future.

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

I thought these were funny....

considering i am an art teacher....

You Are Surrealism
Dreamy and idealistic, you've created a world that is all your own.It's very likely that you've either dabbled in drugs or are naturally trippy.You are always trying to push beyond the boundaries of your culture and society.You believe that art, love, and freedom can change the world.
What Art Movement Are You?


To my roomates:

You Are a Creative Cook
Your cooking is unusual, inspired, and definitely one of a kind. People love your unique style, but you've had your share of kitchen flops.You have the makings of a cult chef. You may not cook at the Four Seasons, but you could have your own little funky cafe in San Francisco!
Are You A Good Cook?


I would have thought 1960!
You Belong in 1972
If you scored...
1950 - 1959: You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in!
1960 - 1969: You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule - oh, and drugs too.
1970 - 1979: Bold and brash, you take life by the horns. Whether you're partying or protesting, you give it your all!
1980 - 1989: Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day.
1990 - 1999: With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good!
What Year Do You Belong In?

Monday, January 22, 2007

Picture saga contiued

Here are some more pictures that i have taken that demostrate my life thus far in denver. Still looking for a church, this is a hard and time consuming challenging task. *sigh*


My roof with snow on top (bout 3 feet) Me Shoveling the snow off of my roof


Why was i shoveling the roof? Look to the left... the sky is falling... the sky is falling... snow falliung off of my roof to the right.

Ahhh, the finished roof!:) Now i am snowy from falling down my stairs/sledding hill!:)

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Life in Denver

Someone said to me the other day: "a picture is worth a thousand words" so here are several million words. however to those who know me well i have not been know to keep words to a minimum. So i have included some words that describe what the picture can not. Enjoy what i have expearicned thus far in Denver!:) Driving down the road to my house, ice covered roads, packed down snow by about a foot. This does not really show how dangerous the driving really is, i keep almost hitting parked cars.:)
Lots of snow piled up in the middle of the roads. Sometimes the snow piled up is higher and wider then my car can handle--this causes the hiting parked car syndrom.
The view from the road that comes out of my house. The mnts. are only to the west! I am much better at finding my way around here!:)

now is seem to have trouble posting, we will have to see what happens later!

Thursday, January 18, 2007

The little joys...

There are just somethings that make my day. These are things like when my students come in and show me something that they made in science, and just want me to see it. Or when they show me sketches they have made, searching for approval and affermation. Or when they draw me a picture of our art classroom and what they do when they are in there. Or when studnets have family visiting from other towns and bring them in, just to say hi to me, and show them thier art work. I love being an art teacher.
Other things that bring joy are projects that turn out beautifuly and i did nothing but provide oppurtunity. like 8th grade snow sculptures:

Apple Pie
The Cross
CheeriesSnowman tries to escape

Arn't they great!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Of plays and 7th grade bible

week one. School is over for the week, but the studnets have homework and so do I. I am planning to try to get the whole week planned today, we will see how that goes. I am then making plans to go shopping. This week has been an intresting one. First I finally had all of my studnets. The class that I had heard the worst things about was my best class! i couldn't believe it! They were super! I also realized taht i love elementry, but middle school is really starting to grow on me. It got really cold in the later part of this week and it froze the already snowy (impossible to drive on) roads. This was a problem, but school pressed on. We have monday off, a holiday for banks and schools. It is good.

A Play:
I went to a play on Thursday night (my roomate bought a season pass, with some other teachers, she couldn;t go--basketball (she coaches), so i went instead) with these other teachers. I first went to a lovely dinning place in the small shopping center near my neighborhood. It was one of those bread and olive oil resturants where fine tastes and delightful menu options are plentiful, and pricy. (especially for a small town girl).
Well, then we went to the play.

So we walk into this large theater (the denver preforming arts center) but the acutal theater itself is small. i felt underdressed in my teacher clothes and black pea coat. But the set was simple, the theater cozy and the plot was simple on the surface, but beneathe that lay a large array of thoughts and post-modern ideals.

THe plot:

Stories. People have stories, people tell stories, stories make them who they are. At surface the plot was a man who wrote stories all ending in gruesume deaths of children becuase that was what had began his story writting. he is being accused of murder. But underneath that plot lay the idea that the stories had an effect on his younger brother who proceeded to go out and kill children as desciribed in the stories.

THe ending:

The play ended on the idea of grace. well, maybe grace is the wrong word, but on the truth being displayed. The images of the play hauted my mind, Children should not be subjected to such things, and why would you choose to protray them in a play

The title/catagory:

The tile: Pillow Man (a comedy)

the comedy was nessary to break up the heart-wretching details of reality

The language had fuck every other word. The other teachers left at intermission. i stayed. i wanted to know what happened, the play write had enteritained me, i had followed his charecters and i wanted to know where the play would go, what kind of message it had. As with most theater, i had a desire to watch it again, just to geta little more out of it. Does that make me a sinner? Would it make me worse of a christian to go and see a play with lots of bad langague? I like stories, that is what drew me to the play.

7th grade Bible:

In 7th grade bible this week we talked about what tempts us. The studnets had to write journal entries abotu what takes them away from God (i assigned this as the first homework i have ever given):) We talked about idols, what do we see as idols and how does that effect our relationship with God. Judah had been living agmonst these large nations and all the nations worshiped other gods, so judah did to, What in our culture does that to us? Many of my 7th graders said that movies, music with bad lyrics, swearing, video games with lots of violence, friends that swear, un-christian friends, families that have hardships, all of these things pull us from God and the first three/four things i mentioned are what they told me our culture tries to sell us. I thought, oh my students a product of christian education. but they are right, i suppose, so that made me think... am i the most hypocritial teacher by going to see a play the next night that had tons of swearing and alluded to lots of violence? I struggle with that.

Friday, January 05, 2007

SNOW DAY!!!!

So i taught one day, and now we have a snow day! talk about irony, i move from Iowa to Colorado, and i am swamped with snow! litterly! they really do not plow the roads here, it is tricky to get around some days. today i bet we got 4 inches of snow and it is still coming. I wonder if i really do have a job!:) Anywaz, blessings to all!

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Day one---Done!

Well, today was my first day as a real live teacher! i laid down the ground rules and i learned some kids names, i talked to some of the staff, and i planned a little bit for next week. I taught abotu claes oldenburg and sketchbooks. I think it will be a good semester! I even enjoyed teaching my jr. high! I am now excited for tommorow, but i have to plan still. Sigh the work is never done! I hope days are great all around the world!

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

I am Here!

Hello all,
i have arrived in Denver. What an experiance. I was stuck in Lincoln NE for a couple of days becuase of weather. i kept puitting off the trip becuase of weather, but then weather finally was looking clear, but they said the highways were a mess, but i said i had to go, so i did. I was off, and low and behold the roads were clear (ish). I had no troubels. in fact i drove through mid nebreaska and saw the most beautiful thing. There were tons of icicles all over the place on in the trees and grass and everything in between. It was beautiful, even thought there was nothing on the road!But that meant that i got to spend a blessed few days with dear friends, amazing how that can make you feel and make you prepared for new steps.

When i got to Denver, i had been warned that i would need a snow shovel, i thought they were joking, but really they do not plow the roads here! I am going to have to take picitures, they really don't plow the roads. Anwayz, that makes for crazy driving!

As this new year starts i am awstruck by God's amazing grace and faithfulness. I have come to this school, where i am about to start a brand new job and i am livng in a large city where i know only a couple of people and i have to go about finding my way around, find a church, and begin to get a community here. This is a daunting task. But this school seems like it will be amazing. I have started to prepare for my students and prepare my room. i love the fact that i am going to be a realy live art teacher. It scares me, but also makes me soo excited that i might be able to try my wings. I hope that i can do this. I am scared silly, but i am also so excited. The principals wife just came into my classroom and prayed for me and over me and the studnets and it was so amazing. It was what was on my mind and heart. I know God has got me here for a reason and i am looking forward to learning what he is going to be teaching me. I hope that as this new year begins you all are off to a good start.