Colorado Girl

Doing My Citizen Job

2006-07-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

My principal is running for House Representative here in Colorado Springs. So this morning my aunt (who is also my assitant principal) met Colin's wife at Starbucks. We then hit the streets in his district handing out flyers. I wasn't really looking forward to it because I have never really been all that interested in politics, but I had fun today. It is fun when you really know the person and work with him everyday and know that you are telling the truth when you say that he is a good guy. It will be interesting to see what comes of the prelims on the 8th.

I am finishing up a house-sitting job this evening. It has been neat to stay at a BIG house, but I am very ready to go home and sleep in my own bed tonight. Its been a while! Last night my grandma and I are watching TV and I heard some noises coming through the back door (they leave this open all the time so the dogs can come and go). All of a sudden there was a lady at the door saying, "POLICE!" Scared me to death! I guess the neighbors had seen me leave, saw the back door open, and called the police. I am glad it happened on my last night of being there!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I am heading out to dinner with Josh and Cami tonight. We have much to discuss and it seems like its been forever since I saw them. Hopefully soon I will have some new pics on here!

Colorado Weather

2006-07-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I must brag a bit. Most of the USA has been under a heatwave lately and we have been apart of it too. 96 is extremely hot for Colorado Springs! Denver and Pueblo have been over 100 a few days this week. Even though the days are very warm, the evenings are actually a bit chilly. Tonight it rained and rained. I wouldn't be surprised if it is 55-60 out right now. Anyways, its a good thing it cools down at night, because my house (and most houses in Colorado) doesn't have any air conditioning. Ugh!

Its not much, but it is the 3rd post this week!

Education

2006-07-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

So I started subbing for summer school today. At our school we like to encourage any kids who are new to our school to come to summer school since our way of teaching is so different from many schools. I am always amazed to see how low most students are when they enter our school. It breaks my heart.

For instance, I was working one-on-one with a student today with math. This little guy is going to be a 5th grader this year. He asked me for help on one of his story problems. I told him to read it to me and to decide what mathmatical operation would be the best. He finally decided ADDITION would be the best (right answer!!). So I asked him to set up the problem. It was like $23.95 + 14.78 + 6.14. Bless his heart. He didn't know how to do that simple problem.

I feel as though sometimes many teachers will pass students on so they don't have to deal with them for another year. This makes me so angry! Its not about how you feel, its about the student and making sure they succeed in school so that they can succeed in life.

Well, enough of my little soap box! I am proud that I found something to write about. Two days in a row now...I am on a roll!

I stink at this!

2006-07-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

Well, several of you have been on my case about updating my blog. I really stink at thinking of things to write for all to see! So I guess since I haven't been on here for sometime now, I can try and write something.

School got out for the summer on May 26th. I actually left early because my little brother, Ben, got married on the 28th in Clay Center, Kansas. I had a blast being there and being a bridesmaid in the wedding. However, it was very difficult to see my brother married off. He and I are very close and I felt like I was losing him. But, he has married a wonderful girl and I am excited to have Kerianne as my new sis. The best thing about it is that she just graduated cosmetology school. You better believe that I have already had her cut and color my hair. She did a fabulous job!

I got back to Colorado for a week. Then my world was turned upside down when I found out that the person I had come to like didn't return those feelings. That is a whole different blog that I can write about (wow! I can come up with ideas!). I went home for 2 weeks and was able to see my cousin Courtney's beautiful wedding in Dodge City, Kansas.

I came back to Colorado for another week and then left again. This time I went to Kimberling City, Missouri (13 miles west of Branson). I consider it my second home. My family has been going down to our lakeside condo for 25 years and I have celebrated almost every birthday down there (including this years...July 10). While down there I was able to see my entire family. My cousin, Matt, was there for a few days before he left for India. Mandy came down too. Its funny that we live in the same city, but only see each other in Kansas or Missouri. Ben and Kerianne came down for my birthday. I was also able to see my namesake, Kayla, who is my 2nd cousin. She will be a freshman at the University of Missouri in the fall and dancing on the dance team. Very proud of her!

I went back to Bartlesville, Oklahoma with the bro and sis. The night I was there we (Ben, Kerianne, Amber, Nate, and I) watched "What About Bob?" in the admissions office of OWU. We then witnessed an incredible thunderstorm!

Now I am back in Colorado for another week (and a half this time)! I am currently house sitting at a BEAUTIFUL home in downtown Colorado Springs. It is very big and I feel very small in it. I will also be subbing next week at summer school. Good ways to make some extra cash! Then it is off for Kansas (again) and a surprise trip that I should mention on here. Then to OK again, back to Kansas to speak at a mother-daughter retreat with mom. Then back to school on August 8th. YIKES!

Well, that should catch up to where I am now. I will try to be better at this and think of interesting things to put on here.

Spring Break

2006-03-30T16:45:00.000-08:00

God presents breaks at the times when he knows you need them the most. I have been on spring break this week and have had a very relaxing time. I know. I know. You are all probably wondering what exciting place I went to relax and hang out. Wait...wait...here it comes...Topeka, Kansas. I know it is what everyone thinks of when you think of spring break.

I have actually enjoyed being home for a few days. Things at school were getting extremely stressful and tense. The day before I break came, one of the teachers I work closely with was told that she would not be returning next year. This puts a lot on my plate for the next school year. I know that God will work things out, but things are pretty tense between her and I right now (not on my part).

So far this week I have:
1. Attended a Celebration Dinner for my dad's Capital Stewardship Campaign at the church.
2. Sat in the new hot tub!
3. Grabbed coffee with an old, but new friend here in town.
4. Went to the Shawn MacDonald (highly recommended) concert (along with Warren Barfield
Ali Rogers...also highly recommended) with my soon-to-be sister-in-law.
5. Drove down the Bartlesville, OK, to suprise my brother for a night.
6. Took my dad on a birthday date. We went and saw "Inside Man" - great movie, but we are
still trying to figure it out.
7. Drove to Lawrence, Kansas (Rock Chalk!), to have coffee with my cousin, Todd.

Its been busy, but that's they way I like it. I will be heading back to beautiful Colorado tomorrow. Back at school on Monday and will hopefully be finishing strong these last 8 weeks or so.

Oh...fast story! One of student's mom told me what her daughter had given up for Lent...homework! I thought that was really cute!

Its been a while!

2006-03-07T18:13:00.000-08:00

Gosh! It sure has been a long time since I have posted anything on this little page of mine. Hmm...let me think...anything new to add?

Since Thanksgiving and the blizzard I have...

1. Had a wonderful Christmas with the fam back in Kansas.
2. Returned for the second semester of teaching 3rd grade.
3. Made a decision to change churches...the hardest decision I have ever had to make!
4. Joined the choir at the new church.
5. Administered our state reading tests for 3rd grade. Will be doing the writing and math next
week.
6. Started playing tennis again since the weather has been super beautiful here!
7. Went to Breckenridge, Colorado for a ski trip but I didn't ski...way too expensive.

That is about it! Life continues to be wonderful!

The Longest Trip Ever

2005-11-29T21:48:00.000-08:00

Traveling back to Goodland on I-70 east...YUCK!
Mandy and I at the church shelter...BURR!
Travis, Allison, and Brennan...What a blessing!

I have learned some pretty important lessons over this Thanksgiving and it was not a fun way to learn them either. The trip to Topeka was great! I had an amazing time with my family...eating, going to the Plaza in Kansas City, staying at Crown Center in KC, sitting in my parents new hot tub, reading, and shopping.

However, on Sunday all things changed and I started learning lessons in life. I traveled home with Mandy (my cousin) and David (her husband). We decided to leave early on Sunday because there was a chance of some bad weather. We pulled out of Topeka at about 8:45 am. Things were great until we got to Colby...here is where the inclement weather started...snow. Soon it was turning into a white out with blizzard conditions. The radio announced that I-70 west bound was closed at Burlington, Colorado. We thought we were smart when we called a friend back in Colorado Springs to look for hotels on the internet...none! There were no hotels left in Burlington! It gave me a feeling of what Joseph and Mary might have felt like when there was no room in the inn!

So we made a decision to drive back to Goodland, Kansas. A normal 20-30 minute drive took us an hour and a half. The picture above shows what we were driving through...probably not the smartest thing to do on our part. Again, we got smart and had our friend start looking for hotels in Goodland on the web. Low and behold! We got one with two queen beds even! We got off the interstate and headed south where we were met by a sheriff. He asked where we were headed and we told him the Tumbleweed Inn (Now, doesn't that sound like Kansas?). This was his reply, "There is no Tumbleweed Inn in Goodland." WHAT? We called the hotel and found out it was in Sharon Springs which as another 30 miles down the highway that was now closed.

What do we do now? Well, we headed to Comfort Inn where they had a sign that said Goodland was all sold out of hotel rooms. They told us that a church was putting people up and that is where we headed. We joined a hundreds of others (with dogs I might add) in a large, cold, hard floored room. David, Mandy, and I found our little corner (see picture of Mandy and I) of the room. Soon David headed off to Wal-Mart to buy us stuff that would get us through the night. As he was buying us stuff a man came up to him and said, "I am the pastor at First Baptist Church here and I was wondering if you would like to come stay at our house?" YOU BET!

We headed over to Travis, Allison, and Brennan (19 months) house where we immediately clicked with them. What a God thing! They were my age and Allison had even taught 3rd grade for 4 years before becoming a mom. We even helped them decorate for Christmas that night! You can see some of those decorations and our new friends in the last picture above. Long story short, we ended up staying 2 nights with them because the interstate remained closed until Tuesday morning. Most of Monday the whole town was without power.

My lessons? God is good! So many times my thoughts went to those who don't have as much as me and I so often take things for granted. I thought of the homeless and of the Hurricane Katrina victims. God provides! We received free meals, a warm house and a warm bed, and new friends. The biggest lesson I learned is that I must TRUST God. He loves me with all of his heart and he will protect me and he will provide for me. Travis had just preached a sermon that morning in church on the scripture that talks about being hungry and you fed me, etc. He knew that he couldn't just preach it and then not DO it in his own life when the opportunity was there. I want to keep my eyes open for more opportunities where I can do this for someone else and I hope you do too! Be thankful!

2005-11-22T20:24:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since I have been able to post anything. My roommate, Jen, got married this last weekend. Therefore, last week was filled with prewedding things. The wedding was nice, but it is nice to have it over. I am a littel jealous of them though as they are honeymooning in Hawaii.

I am headed back to Topeka, Kansas, tomorrow to spend time with the family for Thanksgiving. I pray that all of you have a wonderful holiday and that you take time to be thankful for everything God has given to us.

A Busy Week

2005-11-11T18:01:00.000-08:00

Wow! I am so glad that it is Friday! I don't know about anyone else, but Fridays are the days that I am the most tired. Especially this week! Today progress reports had to go home with the kids are it was a mad rush getting those out before they left for the weekend.
Tonight my friend Suzanne is having an open house for some of us to come and meet her new little nephew. Then I might head downtown to hang out with some other buddies...I could be to sleepy though. The rest of the weekend is dedicated to singing on the worship team at church. I love doing it, but it takes up most of my weekend when I'm on. I have to be there at 3 on Saturdays and don't leave until after 7. Then Sundays there are 2 to 3 services to sing in. I am pretty ready to end the weekend after all that!
Last Friday night I was able to have coffee with Josh and Cami Delph. It was so good to see them and catch up. We were able to talk about a lot of memories from the good ol' days. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Air Force vs Army

2005-11-07T17:40:00.000-08:00

Colorado Springs is the home of the Air Force Academy. I have a couple of Air Forse buddies and we go to the games often. On Saturday, about 30 of us went to the Air Force vs Army game. We tailgated before and the cheered on the guys. They didn't do too good. They lost when they fumbled the ball with 55 seconds lost. They were almost within field goal range to tie the game.

Anyways this is me being patriotic. We got free flags...yes! On the field are some of the squadrons. When the National Anthem is done, they yell something and then they all run to the bleachers. When Air Force actually does score, the freshmen cadets run out on the field and pushups. The games are a lot of fun. This game was cold. We actually had a lot of snow that morning, but of course, it was gone and 55 out. I LOVE Colorado weather!

2005-11-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

A few of my buddies at a concert. Carmen (roomie), Christy, me (is my hair really that different?), and Jen (former roomie).

2005-11-04T18:41:00.000-08:00

Chris Tomlin concert

2005-11-04T18:39:00.000-08:00

I got tickets to the Bronco/Chiefs Monday Night Football Game. These were my "dates" that night...Anthony and Nick.

2005-11-04T18:37:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what a 3rd grade teacher does at school? Well, you will never catch me doing this again. Sage was a 12 foot, 80 pound python.

Few Pictures of My Life

2005-11-04T17:39:00.000-08:00

Steve Yeakley came out to visit this summer. His family lives here and he is good friends with my cousin, Mandy Houle (Elsberry) and her husband. We all went to the Flying W which is an outdoor wagon meal with "real" cowboys.

Hurricane

2005-11-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know a lot about our beautiful state of Colorado, well, I have some new information for you. As of today, we have hurricanes. Okay, so we didn't have the down pours of rain, but we did have the wind. In fact, we had gusts up to 85 miles per hour today. My kids went out at recess this morning and there were large metal pieces flying all around so we brought them back in. At 10:00 the power at school was knocked out and we were sent home around noon. As I drove home it looked as if a small hurricane came through the city. I can't imagine what an actual hurricane would be like. My friend, Anthony, says they are not that bad at all. For some reason, I have a hard time believing that!

Indescibeable

2005-11-02T18:49:00.000-08:00

I went to the Chris Tomlin "Indescribable" concert in Denver last night. I must say that it was not a concert, but more of a worship experience. What an amazing night and a great reminder of how small I am compared to the majesty of God. Louie Giglio really put things into perspective when he said that if you were to count all the stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, one per second, it would take you 2,500 years to complete the task. Amazing!