Creating a List and Checking it Twice - April 24

People who have influenced me:

1. My mom

2. My dad

3. Aunt Nin

4. Jackie Nelson

5. Marci Dowdy

6. Vicki Slagle

7. Susan Riggs

8. Kristi Perryman

9. Leslie Anderson

10. Tara Ramsey

Places that make me happy:

1. Running outside

2. Home

3. Bubble baths

4. My parent’s home

5. The country

6. The pool

7. The beach

8. My bed

9. Kyle’s Shoulder

Places I would like to go:

1. Jamaica again

2. Hawaii

3. Paris, France

4. Great Barrier Reef

5. Auschwitz

6. Rome

7. Las Vegas

8. Greece

Things in people that I like:

1. Positivity

2. Humor

3. Kindness

4. Caring

5. Passion

6. Good work ethic

7. Giving

8. Honesty

9. Sarcasm

10. Dreams

Things in people that I don’t like:

1. Bullying

2. Hatred

3. Negativity

4. Prejudice

5. Laziness

6. Big Headedness

7. Suck-Ups

8. Drama

Things that worry me:

1. Death

2. Car Wrecks

3. Health of my family

4. Not being able to have kids

5. Kids

6. Jobs

7.Getting hit by a car while running

Things I would like to know how to do:

1. Water Ski

2. Snow Ski

3. Photography

4. Swim better

5. Sew

6. Build a house

7. Fly fish

Things that have moved me:

1. Romantic movies

2. Random Acts of Kindness

3. My wedding

4. My Marriage

5. My Parents

6. Funeral of a Navy Seal

Ideas that intrigue me:

1. That you will pass a class if you don’t do the homework

2. That partying is cool

3. That people deliberately choose to be homeless

4. That you can get money from the government without a drug test

5. That our government is in debt and expects everyone else to get out of it

6. That there is life on other planets

  

My Personal Favorites:

1. Nicholas Sparks books

2. Running

3. Sleeping

4. Summertime

5. Dirt Track Races

6. Driving with the windows down and radio up!

7. Painting and decorating my house

8. Hanging out with family – especially the little cousins and nephews

Never Say Good-Bye - April 22

I never knew that this would be the last good-bye, hug and kiss, and I love you that I would tell my grandpa but everyday I am grateful for the opportunity I had to spend his last good day with him. Not knowing that it was the last time I would see him and talk with him makes this good-bye one of the hardest I have ever said. I can always think back to that day in February 3 years ago and wish I would have stayed longer and not rushed to basketball practice. Maybe I could have given him one more day if I had stayed because at the time I thought he was getting better. Little did I know, that day was his final burst of energy before he passed away two days later. At the time it wasn’t hard to say good-bye to him because I thought I would see him the next day in just as good of a mood. The hard thing about this good-bye is that I never thought it would be my last. I had always prayed that he would eventually overcome the alcoholism that plagued his body. We even talked about how he would sober up and be at my wedding one day, healthy and happy, but this past December all that I had of him was his rosary tied to my bouquet, my something old, but my never forgotten Pop Pop. The final day that I spent with Pop Pop though will always be cherished in my heart because I was lucky enough to have him on his last good day here on earth. He had recently gotten out of the hospital for retaining water because his liver was failing because of the years of drinking he had done. A couple of days later I went by to check on him and he needed to go to the store so I said I would take him but had to be at basketball practice by 7 that night so we would have to hurry. We slowly made our way to my car, he was using a walker. When we got to Flummerfelts he decided that he had to use the electric buggy and so we started piling in the groceries. He was hilarious on that buggy, backing up and making it beep, trying not to run people over as he went. I am pretty sure that he bought way too much food for himself but he was enjoying himself so I just went along with it. He was making plans to have a pot roast, some fried tacos, some potatoes, all these comfort foods. I like to think now that he spent so much time in the store so that he could spend more time with me., like somewhere inside him he knew he didn’t have much longer.  When I dropped him back off at home that evening he was in a wonderful mood and even got his pot roast started. I headed to basketball practice just a little late but I was okay with that. The next day I didn’t expect the phone call that came to tell me Pop Pop had been taken to Cox Monett because he was unresponsive. I would later find out that how I left him the evening before in his chair was how they found him, his roast was uneaten, and the hospice lady had found him incoherent the next day. We all knew that it wouldn’t be long so we said our good-byes to Pop Pop that evening. I still like to think that my trip to Flummerfelts with him was my final good-bye, it was the last time I got to see him as his old self. Pop Pop’s death still affects me today, especially when life-changing events occur that I would like him to be at, like my wedding. It breaks my heart to realize that my children will never know their great grandpa; they will only have the stories that we tell to keep his memory alive.

Gone but Never Forgotten - April 19

Twenty years from now these are the qualities I want to remember about myself:

1. I was growing more and more in love with Kyle each and every day because he is and always will be my best friend.

2. Married life is everything I had hoped it would be plus some!

3. Remember to slow down and take the time to watch my little cousins grow up

4. Be patient, enjoy time together before having kids, and then still always enjoy time together.

5. My passion for life is counseling – High Schoolers to be exact.

6. Always dream big and make things happen

7. Remember that I never cared how much money I had as long as I had family and friends.

8. When teaching: Always be patient!

9. I value my free time and use it to run, read, craft, and go see family

10. Summertime means running and pool time to work on my tan and summer weekends always involve the dirt track.

11. I value my job because many people are without right now.

12. I value Kyle’s knowledge of money and finances because he will have us out of debt in no time.

13. I value my education because I received my Masters in Secondary Counseling in 2 years and cannot wait to begin using my education!

14. I want to go back and finish the 9 hrs it takes to be a mental health counselor.

15. A good weekend during racing season is one where we go to the dirt track and come out with nothing to fix.

16. I was driving a 2000 Volvo S40 and loved every part of my little car.

17. Gas was 3.25 this week but I didn’t care because my view is that we need gas to get places so we are always going to buy it no matter the cost.

18. I was married this last year, graduated with a masters in Secondary Counseling this last year, have been teaching for 4 years at Pierce City, and living with Kyle for 4 years.

19. Kyle and I are very planned out even though I used to make fun of people that had such detailed plans.

20. I hope to one day be able to stay home with my kids until they are all in school.

21. We hope to have 5 kids.

22. I can’t wait to someday build my dream home out in the country.

23. Kyle and I have a lot of job opportunities that seem to be arising and I am anxious about where they will take us but I appreciate the opportunity they give us.

24. I love working on the race car with Kyle in the summer.

25. I value my abilities as a counselor and vow to put them to good use either in schools, my own business, or mental health practice.

In Other Words - April 16

“Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind” ~ Dr. Seuss

“Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you.” ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“If you are not willing to look stupid, nothing great is ever going to happen to you.” ~Dr. Gregory House

“You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” ~Oscar Wilde

“Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.” ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely wand with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” ~Emerson

“There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It’s why you were born and how you become most truly alive.” ~Oprah

“He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” ~Emily Bronte

“Spend a little more time trying to make something of yourself and a little less time trying to impress people.” ~The Breakfast Club

“It is better to cry than be angry, because anger hurts others, while tears flow silently through the soul and cleanses the heart.” ~Pop John Paul II

“Marriage is about becoming a team. you’re going to spend the rest of your life learning about each other, and every now and then, things blow up. But the beatury of marriage is that if you picked the right person and you both love each other, you’ll always figure out a wat to get through it.” ~Nicholas Sparks

“We expect teachers to reach unattainable goals with inadequate resources. The miracle is this: they often do.” ~Haim Ginott

“You’re braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” ~Christopher Robin

“Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I’m not perfect and I don’t live to be. But, before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean.” ~Bob Marley

Synetics - April 15th

Here are a few examples that I have completed for you. I didn’t want to do too many because I wanted you to have fresh thoughts for each answer you choose instead of being clouded by mine:

Which is wiser? a pen or pencil?

A pencil is wiser because they allow you to return and fix your mistakes. Pencils are also softer to work with and allow for shades of writing or artwork to add depth to both your writing and your pictures.

Which is easier to teach? a question or an answer?

It is easier to teach a question because then the individual can problem solve independently. By teaching a question you allow an individual to learn to creatively work through problems on their own and ask questions to help solve those problems. They get to work through the answers by solving the questions.

Which costs more? a home or a house?

A home costs more because it costs time and love to create a welcoming home. Though these costs are not monetary they are worth building a home rather than a house.

Which is smarter? A clock or a calendar?

A calendar is smarter because it allows for long term planning throughout the 12 months in a year and sometimes you can even find a16-month calendar to help you plan even further out. A clock only allows you to plan for the 12 hours in which it shows on its face.