July- 2005

Viva mexico. This was such a treat from my uncle Tom.... A wonderful retreat after an exhausting month of teaching summer school. The only thing that would have made this trip sweeter would have been to have my love by my side. Erich stayed home and worked his final weeks before entering a new season of returning to school. Highlights of the trip include.... morning walk with dad, local bellydancers, reading on the beach, walking and collecting shells on the beach, making jewelry with Sierra, being awed by tyler's clay creations, hearing mom belly ache because she couldn't taste the food (what a shame- she had a cold), shopping in the mercado (talking with the Brother), treating everyone to mexican ice cream, eating in our condo, and soaking in the sun....

Trying times

Erich took the leap of faith and made plans to quite work, go back to school, and for us to live on my income...
This meant me teaching summer school. Summer school is really a different world. It is not Carver where I teach during the year and my coworkers were not very accepting of me. What a rough time I had at first. I was the teacher they would give the evil eye to! I was used to frolicking down the halls at Carver with my kids, singing, laughing, having fun while learning (isn't that what makes lifetime learners....?). This was very unappreciated my the foreboding elementary teachers. I really had to learn to find my place where they wanted me while balancing fun learning and quite hallway walking. It wouldn't have been so bad in a smaller school. The location of summer school was a HUGE school. I literally had to walk a mile to get to my class every morning. Imagine the torture of transitioning 20 five year old kids around and around this blasted big school and having to stay quite the entire time.... TORTURE! However, once again I didn't let it get the better of me, I kissed butt (not in the selling my soul kind of way) to my summer school principals, put on my mean hallway teacher face (so the other teachers knew i was "serious"), and taught my little heart out behind closed doors the way I wanted. It was worth not letting the system get the better of me. I really enjoyed bonding even more with some of my kids I had had all through the school year and learning more of life's good lessons. It's not what they throw at you.... it's what you do with it that counts.

May madness

What a busy time of the year May can be! This is when things come to a close in the school year. I decided to audition for my first musical with the theatre company for a part in the Music Man! This musical was a great one to get my foot in the door at the theatre company. The Theatre Company is Bryan's local and definitely community theatre. There is not too much in the realm of the arts, theatre, "the cultured life" if you will, here in Bryan, Texas. However, this little budding theatre is a great expression of part of what makes Bryan great and living here very bearable. There are definitely theatre folk- you know.... the crazy, weird types. I fit right in and have enjoyed making new friends, having cast parties at my house, and singing my little heart out before and audience.

March- I don't really remember you...

I must admit that I have very little in my memory bank from the month of march. I will come back to you later if I recall anything....

Laurie's favorite month

This is the month of love, pink, and celebrating my coming into the world. I think it's an exciting day anyhow... This 24th birthday I was definitely in the relaxed, keep things on the downlow mood. We spent the evening in one of our favorite nooks in downtown Bryan, Square 1. I remember the first time Erich and I went there with a little vased flower on our table, a karafe of wine on the table... I couldn't tell if I was tipsy with love or from being induced with wine. Love is such a sweet thing- well it's really so much more than a sweet thing. Love is awesome, powerful, reviving, inspiring, dynamic, and juicy. That last descripter is for those of you that have known me for a while... I'm sure you understand. Here are some things that I really like that come in Pink, Red, and White...
Red-
Jesus love (although, if we are speaking of colors, I see His love in many more shades than just red, but it is a dominant color)
the contrasting color in my kitchen
wine
Ruby's (a girl in my class) red boots

Pink-
flowers
clothes
anything... as long as it is the right shade with the right thing

White-
snow
cream for my coffee
Blue bell ice cream
I don't own very much white.... I teach Pre-K