T-day and the big chill

Here is Erich preparing our new tradition of turkey fry

Here is part of the table decor


Thanksgiving is over. We had a wonderful celebration with family; a feasting of fried turkeys (thanks honey!), delicious stuffing, and all the other traditional yum yums...
It was Lisa's first break from her first semester in college and our first celebration with the recently added Sophie. Erich and I have been feasting on the leftovers since Thursday evening. Thus far I have created a cacophony of creations using turkey: turkey aoli sandwiches, chipotle covered turkey, pasta with bits of leftover veggies... next will be thai turkey. This is one of the perks of hosting a holiday in your home-Leftovers!
Now it's Sunday and we have returned from church (Erich preached) and we are full from our aoli and cheddar turkey sandwiches, contently reading the Sunday NY Times. We are like an old couple. My feet have been freezing for the past 2 hours. It's strange how we women will let our feet suffer for the sake of wearing cute shoes. I wore my silver ballet flats and although I put my down slippers on as soon as I got home and have my feet wrapped in a mohair blanket my feet are still chilled to the bone.
Thank God for this chilly weather, however cold my feet may be. This chill has compelled me to work extra hard on graduate work. I have completed 2 major assignments this weekend with only 1 more project before complete and total completion of my graduate career!!!!!! I can hardly wait!!!!!!!!!!!

the most beautiful things in life are free

It's hard to sum the experience of my days at school (these days) in a word.... So much happens! One minute we are rejoicing as an emerging butterfly slides from its cocoon to enter the world with its new form, the next we are releasing butterflies with their expanded wings outside, and then a few moments later I am wrestling with a kid who decides to flip out (for no apparent reason). This last experience leaving me exhausted and confused, I return to pausing in reflection towards the beauty of the day...ah, yes... back to the emerging butterfly...
This was so increadible to witness! My student teacher and I were sitting in our classroom with all the lights off in complete silence during our lunch break. She was eating her ramen noodles and I was busy flipping through paper work and United Way forms when we both turned toward our butterfly sanctuary and simultaneously sensed the emergence of the last butterfly (of the 10 or so that had already emerged). We stared at the process in awe and wonder at the intricacies of creation, the delicacy of life, and the constant fight for survival. The slimy, crinkled up form struggled to cling to its now empty cocoon to find the grasp it needed in order to be able to hang upside down and wait until its wings had dried and were fully open. The process happened in a matter of minutes and we were so greatful for the simple gift of this butterfy's life and our being able to witness the simple miracles that happen every day (that we are usually unaware of).
I find all of these butterfly happenings sweet therapy in my all-too-stressful days. I am so greatful for a Creator that cares and considers the lilies of the fields, the birds of the air, and the emergence of one little butterfly. What an amazing Provider we have; a supplier of more beauty, grace, and peace than we could ever conjure from our own strength. I am greatful for a Creator that is always orchestrating His Creation to worship Him and reminds us of His transformative power in the redemptive life. Thank God that He is the One who makes all things New and Beautiful (in His perfect time).

Lychee martinis

Erich and I just returned from a fabulous business conference in Chicago. My new-found drink of the weekend was Lychee martinis... a not too sweet drink with an icy toothpick through 2 soft lychee balls. Think grapefruit mixed with pear...

We returned home with sad news of the death of Erich's grandma. Thankfully, It was not a shock to anyone, as she lived a full 97 years of life. We will have her funeral this Wed. I remembered her words to Erich and myself the last time we visited her, "love is the best thing. Just love one another." This is a great memory to carry of a woman I hardly knew.

My school just celebrated a literacy night in which I am featured on the school district's website. Check out
http://www.bryanisd.org to see the picture of me with 2 of my cuties.

Fall

What a great beginning to one of my favorite seasons! Kellie came into town. We had not seen each other in 7 years!! We had so much fun at the Big State Festival listening to Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett (amongst some other great bands). Yesterday I finished a 50 page project to complete a 3 hour course that has been hanging over me for the past 10 months. Erich preached today and he did a super job. I am about to make batches of homeade salsa and caldo de res...
And on top of all these wonderful things, Erich and I are going to Chicago together this weekend on a business trip.
The weather has been beautiful. Perhaps not the typical orange-leaved fall, but crisp and sunny with just enough cool to make you want to make soup. Nancy, my super running buddy and I are about to do our 8 mile run. We are preparing for a 1/2 marathon in Austin. I just love running, especially in the morning with the (still) starry night sky and the crisp fog from my breath with good music flowing in between my head. Lately its running to Misty Edwards.

A bummer... my camera is broken and I cannot take any creatively inspired pictures. I hope to get a new one for Christmas....

Tidbits from the past few days

This Sunday morning I was searching the web to find out more about healthy poo.
From what I can gather, texturally the poo should resemble that of a ripe banana. color: think cardboard, form: S or C will doo
float or not: there is controversy, but it seems there is more talk on sinking poo's, how often: at least once a day.

Other creative inspirations....
I have written and "composed" 3 new children's songs in Spanish. I was inspired after observing some student's with special needs in another classroom go through some simple songs (in English) that connect vocabulary or simple actions corresponding with pictures of the specific vocabulary/actions. Because I have several non verbal students, I was excited at the notion of combining music and real object pictures to reinforce vocabulary and increase communication. We did a trial run this week with two of my students that have autism (thankfully, they both respond very well to music). Our trial run was such a success! This has given me bursts of inspiration and I wrote 4 more simple songs in English. I want to introduce the 3 songs that are in Spanish to my students very soon. One is about vehicles, one about animals, and one about food. Erich was my producer and put my songs on a cd.... vamos a ver!

Other exciting news: for the first time in an ARD (the formal meeting that is held for families of children with special needs) I was addressed as both the instructional teacher and the special educator. For this I was able to sign in two boxes on the official documents. Although the officiality and structure of the ARD meetings are enough to make one gag, my two signatures signified the district, my school, and the diagnostician officially recognizing me as the qualified sped and gen ed teacher.

With the most student's with special needs of any classroom in my entire school, I am a bit overwhelmed with paperwork, meeting IEP goals, and all the other things that come with working in the public schools.... Thankfully, my principal recognizes the need for another intsructional teacher. Since there are no (other than my student teacher who is moving to Del Rio) students graduating from texas a&m with both a degree in bilingual and special education, we will have to hire a bilingual teacher who I will team teach with in the spring. I look forward to this and pray for a young, loving, active teacher.

One more thing...
Erich and I are on a hunt for delicious coffee. Lisa supplied directly from Costa Rica the last 20 bags we have already consumed. Now, we only drink a cup a day.... but we want that one to be a delicious one. So... if anyone has any recommendations?