Let's Have A Parade

Every year, where I'm from (much like where you are from probably), we have a festival.  And festivals mean parades.  A parade means:  the VFW Color Guard proudly bearing our flags...

And beauty queens, smiling and waving...

And this kid marching with his acoustic guitar...

And brass instruments.  I love sousaphones and trumpets!

Big horses pulling wagons...

And sweet old ladies in go-karts.

And scary floats...

And mini horses pulling smaller wagons.

And on September 11, it seems fitting to see so many fire trucks and police cars.  I was sitting in the student center at my university on 9/11/01.  I remember watching the plane hit the second tower, calling all my friends to see if they knew yet, going into to my AmeriCorp job and watching the TV we kept in the teacher's lounge so the students couldn't see.  I remember the fear.  And I remember see the nation come together in hope.  We remember because how could we ever really forget.

And, from big to small (and adorable), we have to stick together.

I Wasn't Kidding About The Barbie Thing

When I was little, I was sick a lot.  Which meant that I had to spend time doing unpleasant things like going to the doctor and getting shots and tests.  So, to make this a little more tolerable, my mother used to bribe me with Barbies.  (And I turned out just fine, no psychological damage done.)  I loved Barbies, and I had a lot of them.  But if I was to remember one doll that I loved the most, it was Peaches and Creme Barbie.  Her dress was the prettiest dress my four year old eyes had ever seen, and I played with her until the dress literally fell apart.  So imagine my surprise when I saw this at WalMart last night!

They have re-released her!  And she's still my favorite.  However, they are also asking $45 for her, so I think I will choose to be satisfied with the knowledge that Peaches and Creme lives on not only in my heart, but on the shelf at WalMart.

My Favorite "Make A Bad Day Good" Songs

There's just something about a song that can change your mood.  These are my Friday afternoon songs.  Heck, sometimes they are my Monday morning songs, just depends on how things are going...

Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z and Alicia Keys - I know this song has been played for everything under the sun.  And that I am not from New York.  But every time it comes on it makes me smile.  I think it has something to do with my belief that if I sing it loud enough, I can sound just like Alicia Keys.

Kate - Ben Folds Five - Okay, so I don't smoke pot.  But the chorus is like my own personal theme song!

Dark Blue - Jack's Mannequin - This is my official "I need to brush off the stink of this day" song.  Once that pounding piano starts in, I can't help but feel better about everything.

On The Street Where You Live - Willie Nelson -  Yes, you read that right.  I think this is the most charming cover of that song I've ever heard.  It's just so adorable!

Take Me As I Am - Sugarland - You had to know I was going to throw in some Sugarland.  This song has one of my favorite lines:  "We all live with the scars we choose."  Plus you can't help singing loud on the chorus!

If I Ever Leave This World Alive - Flogging Molly - This song makes me think of P.S. I Love You, which is one of my favorite movies.  And it makes me think of Ireland, which somehow calms me. 

Honorable Mentions:
Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show
First Day Of My Life - Bright Eyes
Everybody Learns From Disaster - Dashboard Confessional
Love and Some Verses - Iron and Wine
Gonna Make You Love Me More - Ryan Adams

And speaking of music news, I'm really excited that Matthew Morrison is recording his own record.  I am unabashedly in love with him!  I don't even really care what it sounds like (ie if it's pop or dance club drivel), I would listen to him sing the phone book.

My Computer Needs Prayer

I need you to take a moment and say a prayer for my dear sweet computer.  Tonight, while trying to do a fairly simple operation, I received the "blue screen of death."  Based on the articles I have since read on the internet, I may not have anything to worry about.  But just in case, I am backing up every single file on my external hard drive and laying hands on my CPU.  I do not, I repeat DO NOT, have a new computer in my budget right now.  And I believe that God knows this.  But I don't think a few pleading reminders will hurt.

My Journey to Teacherhood

(This one's for you, Taylor!)

I didn't want to be a teacher.  If you would have asked me when I was in junior high or high school, I would have told you I was open to being just about anything, with the exception of teaching.  Both of my parents are teachers, so I'd grown up hearing about it all the time, and I wasn't interested.  Besides, I didn't really like kids in mass quantities. 

So, I graduated high school and went to junior college on a scholarship.  Depending on which semester you asked me, I was going to be a public relations specialist, a social worker, a psychologist, or maybe a singer/actress (some dreams die hard) but teaching was not even on the radar.  That is, until I was offered a position with AmeriCorps as a mentor/tutor.  It wasn't the job description that made me take the job, to be perfectly honest.  It was that I would be earning a stipend and money for the next two years of my education, which was not paid for.  I left the secretarial student job (that I loved) and was assigned to work in my old elementary school tutoring at-risk 5th and 6th graders.  I took to it immediately, and before long, my major was clear.  I changed my major to Elementary Education and graduated with my degree two years later.

It's funny to me that I didn't want to work with kids in mass quantities and now I teach middle school.  There's nothing more challenging than a room full of 13 year-olds who are certain they know everything they need to know about everything.  When I tell people what I teach, they mostly just shake their heads, particularly other teachers.  It doesn't really bother me because I know that I am much better off teaching junior high with all the drama and hormones than I am teaching kindergarten with all the snotty noses and shoes to tie.  (In fact, my first sub job was in my mom's classroom, and I was quick to say that they couldn't pay me enough money to do that again!) 

I'm not saying that it's always sunshine and roses, no job ever is.  There are days when you just want to kick the copier and call it a day.  But, I think when you are doing the thing you know you are supposed to do, you get over it a little easier.  You put on your big girl clothes and go back into the trenches because there's nowhere else you'd rather be.  (And if you don't believe me, check out Crystal's post on how one gesture can change a day.)  Teaching is a ministry like no other, and I am the first to say that I haven't always gotten it right.  But I'm trying.  And just like I tell my students, if you try it enough times you will eventually get the hang of it.

Blogging Tips From My Hero

I loved this post!  (Though I break the blogging about the same thing rule sometimes, I do try to blog like I am talking to my sister!) 

The Pioneer Woman's Tips For Blogging

Just thought you might enjoy the read, particularly if you are a blogger yourself!  And since she is an awesome blogger, and I want to be her when I grow up, I promise to try to talk about a better variety of things. 

Any suggestions, blog readers?  Want do you want me to write about?  I'm all about pleasing the people.  (Well, actually, not so much.  But I am all about trying to be more cooperative.  It is still my blog after all.)

Call Me Picky, But...

A couple months ago, I sang at the funeral of a wonderful woman I've known all my life named Christamae.  Almost every church memory I have as a child includes her.  She died in June, leaving her husband of almost 70 years.  Paul never really had much interest in life after he lost her, and died last Friday.  His funeral was today, and I sang with my daddy and sister.  Truth be told though, I had a hard time being sad.  I'm not hard-hearted or anything.  Funerals are usually my undoing.  It's just that this Saturday (Sept. 11) will be their 70th anniversary, and it makes my heart smile to know that they will be celebrating it together in Heaven.  Besides that, it's hard to be sad when you think about how sweet that reunion had to be.

As I've said before, I can't imagine being in love with anyone for 70 years.  (Honestly, I can't really imagine being in love with someone for one year at the moment.)  However, I do believe that kind of love exists, because I've seen it with my own two eyes.  I know that a lot people my age aren't privileged enough to come from homes or even know many examples at all of homes that haven't been broken by divorce.  But I am blessed enough to have several examples--my grandparents, parents, my second family (Happy Anniversary again, Sandy and Jason!), my friends.  Perhaps that's why my own standards are so high when it comes to love and marriage and the like.  I don't believe that marriage is disposable.  If and when I make that choice, I want to know that we are going to do everything in our power to make it last. 

I get that sometimes it doesn't, and that divorce is the best option.  I'm not sitting here saying anything about people who get divorced, trust me.  But, personally, for me, I want to know that the guy I choose is in it for the long haul.  I'm not all starry-eyed about marriage.  I get that relationships are work.  And it's precisely because of it's work that I want to make sure that I don't go running head long into just anything.  I want to be sure that when and if God sees fit for me to get married that I am marrying the right guy.  Admittedly, my standards are high.  (Even my closest friends have called me picky.)  But honestly, I'm okay with that.  Because if you are willing to accept anything, then that's exactly what you will get.  And I don't want to settle for that. 

Because I know true love exists.  I've seen it.  And when you've seen it, you aren't interested in any imitations.