Mind Your Own Business

My Mammaw has a magnet on her refrigerator that says, "Dear Lord, Please keep your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth!"

Cute, hu? I wish He would really do that! Gossip, putting your foot in my mouth, being snarky or sarcastic... These are things I really have struggled with over the years. It is so easy for me to get caught up in a whirlwind of gossip. (Confession: I subscribed to a gossip magazine for like six or seven YEARS for goodness sake!) I have worked on this and prayed about this for the last several years.

Last week I found myself in a very awkward situation at work. To make a long story short, a colleague tried to pull me into a "conflict" between her and another teacher. It made me uncomfortable from the get-go.  Really uncomfortable.  Unfortunately, while this was going on the other colleague happened to walk by. (I realize just how "junior high" this sounds, and it is!). I am proud to say that I did not enter into the mix and avoided any gossip.

I still had to clear up misconceptions, though.

I felt awful...I felt uncomfortable. I knew I didn't really do anything wrong, but I knew I needed to get it out in the open. In the end, I think all of us felt uncomfortable and remorseful. All of this stress was avoidable too. Our words are so powerful. With them we can lift others up, make someone's day, encourage. Or we can tear down and put down. 

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.   Psalm 19:14 

I need to find myself one of those magnets...

Tot ziens!

Going Away Party

Last Friday my dear, dear teaching partner (and quite possibly one of the best ladies you could ever know) threw me a going away party. If you aren't close to any teachers then you should know, it doesn't take much for us to have a get-together...especially on a Friday afternoon/evening. We had a wonderful time, and I was touched by the people who came, the cards, and gifts. I am going to miss these people like crazy!

Here are just a few pics from the night* (thank you, Tammy). Of course I didn't have my camera, but thankfully Tammy and Amber were prepared. Here are just a couple. I'll add more when I get copies of Amber's pictures.

*You may notice that even though it was May 20, we are definitely not dressed for summer (as most people around the country are). That is because we were having anything but summer weather. It snowed the ENTIRE day before, and was quite chilly still. Gotta love Wyoming weather!

Jenn, Judy Z., and me

Tammy and Bill

With my awesome friend Amber

Group Shot

Julie, Judy C., and Karen

Michelle is on the left...she's great, and she's moving up from 4th and taking my position next year

Tammy and Jenn

(These two are my burrito buddies...going to miss El Durango and these ladies!)

The glare from the window is bad, but here I'm opening cards and gifts...that's Jeri the awesome partner teacher on the right. I think I was laughing at a card.

Some friends got together and bought me a beautiful "Golden Buffalo" necklace. It's from a store here in town, and it is awesome and a perfect keepsake. Thanks, ladies (and Bill!). I'll have to get a better picture of it.

There were some tears shed that night, but mostly there was a lot of laughter. I am so grateful that I've had the opportunity to work with such awesome people over the last six years.

Tot ziens!



Seven Years

Seven years ago yesterday, Jay and I pulled into Wyoming. We were both recent college graduates and had our first jobs. It was new, it was scary, it was totally unknown and different from anything or anywhere either of us had lived before. We were away from our families and only had each other in this new place...

Here is a picture of Lander as you drive into downtown. It doesn't really do the beauty of the place justice. Hidden in the foggy background are the foothills of the Wind River Mountains. Oh so different from the plains of west Texas, the beaches of Corpus Christi, and the cornfields of Iowa.

These past seven years have flown by. I changed jobs and fell into a position I was meant to be in. Jay traveled tons for work, and we got to travel together extensively in this part of the country. We really enjoyed living here and have met some of THE most wonderful people.

Today on the elliptical machine at the gym I got to thinking about how fast (and slowly) seven years goes by. How much can happen. How much can change. Then it hit me.

We are there again. At the beginning of a new chapter; a fork in the road. In one week I will leave Wyoming, and in about three I will be heading to The Netherlands. It is new, it is scary,  it is totally unknown and different from anything or anywhere either of us have lived before. We will be away from our families and only have each other in this new place...

A sense of peace overcame me. We can do this. Sure, we have no idea what's next, but did we really when we pulled into the Tomahawk Motor Lodge late on that Sunday night? Nope, not at all. We had no idea the ups and downs, the challenges, the successes, or the failures we would face and overcome in this place.

Not only do we have each other as we embark on this new adventure, but our God is the same. Just as He was seven years ago, He is still in charge. Just as He knew seven years ago, He knows what is in store. Just as He did seven years ago, He will walk this journey with us and lead us to where we need to be.

Whew. So thankful for that. So excited to see where we are seven years from now.

 Tot ziens!

Words to Live By

Let the journey begin...

Tot ziens!



The Deep End

It's hard to believe that I have less than a month left of school. For those of you familiar with the inside workings of a school, you know this time of year is very unique. It is exhausting making the final push...everyone is beyond tired, summer is just around the corner (although one wouldn't have guessed that with the snow we got here today), and there are always soooo many things left to teach/learn/finish in the last month. In spite of all this stress and tiredness, though, you start to see a twinkle in teachers' eyes. One of the bright spots at school this time of year is the promise of an end in sight (not many professions get a clean start each year) and the hope of a new year...a chance to try again, try differently.

The fact that I won't be at my school next year is even more obvious as so many discussions in the lounge and meetings turn to next year. It is such a strange feeling! Strange because I feel left out and a little jealous of my teacher friends who know where they're going to be next year. Strange because I'm starting to see my school and what we do with a little different perspective....that of an outsider.

I have no doubt that Jay and I are on the right track to where we need to be going. Do I know where that is? I wish! There are so many unknowns, and that is hard for me. Really hard for me. I like love crave order and plans. Not too much of either around here right now!

Since we began this journey many months ago we both have stated that we had faith things would work out. Looking back, that is really an easy statement to claim when you both have jobs and the jumping point is over half a year away. Well, as the time is quickly approaching, and we have less and less of our "security blankets" to cling to, the meaning is taking on more truth. We both still believe it. Even though we don't know where we're going to be after Jay is done with school or what we'll be doing, God does. We're okay with that. Always have been.

I love the saying, "It's easy to have deep-end faith when you're splashing around in the shallow end." I have never related so much to this quote before. Previously I had thought about it when someone I knew was going through a trying time. I used it to remind myself not to judge the way in which they were dealing with their situations. Now, though, I can apply it to our situation. We are leaving the shallow end. Leaving behind the comforts and security of jobs, the known, and time. We are moving farther into the depths of the unknown and having to truly trust in what is unseen.

Tot ziens!

Klompen

Disclaimer: Don't be fooled by the Dutch title of this post. I have officially postponed my study of the hardest language in the world Dutch until I'm in The Netherlands this summer.


Besides windmills and tulips, The Netherlands is most known for wooden shoes (well, perhaps there are other items one would associate with the place, but they aren't appropriate to mention here!). These clogs, called Klompen in Dutch, were traditionally worn by farmers to keep them from sinking into the boggy land they were working. They also wore them for safety reasons. Think steel-toe boot...your foot is going to be safe from dropped objects, rusty hardware, or a cow stepping on your foot. Some also claimed your feet would stay "healthier" because they were allowed to breathe and not be stuck inside a sweaty boot. The most likely reason they wore them, though, is they were convenient. Easy on and easy off. If Jay has learned anything about the Dutch people, it is they are efficient!

Wooden clogs aren't worn regularly today, although one of Jay's professors said he wore them as a boy. I think it would be safe to say that most of the wooden shoes made today are for tourists....like these two!

A few weeks ago Jay and some of his classmates visited a business where wooden shoes are made. He said it was quite fascinating, and he even came away with this purchase for my Grandma Phyllis. It is a bird house made out of the front part of a large wooden shoe. He carried it in his carry on luggage all the way back to Amarillo. He said it got some attention as he was coming through customs! It is arriving in Iowa today via my mom, and I can't wait to hear her reaction!

Tot ziens!

Just 2 Months

First of all, let me assure you that I have not spent the time since my last post practicing my Dutch. I am very discouraged by how difficult it is, and I really don't have tons of time right now! I think I mentioned in my last post that I end up shouting at the computer to get it to approve my pronunciation...I know it sounds crazy, but my friend Amber will attest that it is so natural to do! I got an audio cd with my computer course, and we listened to it one day when we carpooled. She was shouting right along with me. It's kind of like the cliche of speaking louder and slower when someone doesn't understand a languge. Ha!


Several of my kids at school have been curious about my adventures, so I took the cds into school for them. It was THE most hilarious thing ever. My kids were surrounding the cd player, semi-shouting "het meisje" and "een man". They were certain their pronunciations were perfect and couldn't understand why I haven't mastered the language yet. :)  I'm not giving up, but I am putting it on my list of things to work on when I'm in The Netherlands this summer.


So, you might ask, what have I been doing then? Well, I'm not really sure, but time is just flying by! In just two months I will be in The Netherlands for the duration of Jay's time there schooling. I put in for a year's leave of absence from work. This allows me to come back to my job if we end up back here. It is a nice option to have, and I'm thankful my principal looked into it for me. We still have no clue where we'll end up after Jay finishes school, but surprisingly I haven't really been stressing (too much) yet. Right now the thought of having to pack everything up and get it moved out of the house is more stressful for me.


As of now, our plan is for me to pack up and put everything into storage here. I will then drive Junie to my grandma's house in Iowa. (She's cat-sitting for me this summer.) Then I leave for The Netherlands at the beginnig of June from Iowa. I really can't believe it. I haven't started packing yet. I'm going to start over Easter weekend. I'm afraid if I start now I won't stop and will end up living out of boxes for the next few months! Here's what is filling up my basement right now...

I am ready and am having to show restraint not to just jump in and get it taken care of! Thank goodness I work at a school, though. I haven't had to go scrounging for any boxes yet!


Tot ziens!