sick days.

So last weekend I had huge plans to get a lot of things done.  I had a ton of work to do, as well as a bunch of homework.  Call me a procrastinator, but I had to read a whole book (ok, it was only 125 pages) and write a book review on it (got to love that busy work), as well as all the regular weekly assignments.  Like I said, big, exciting plans. 

I woke up on Saturday morning, though, and I was wasn't feeling well.  I thought it might be allergies, because it was mostly a sore throat and runny/stuffy nose.  By Sunday morning, I knew I was sick, though.  I woke up mid-morning, had breakfast, then decided a nap was in order.  After sleeping a couple of hours, I thought maybe a shower would help me wake up.  By the time I finished my shower, I was so exhausted I wasn't sure I was going to make it back to my bed.  Slept another couple of hours.  By the time I woke up, it was 4:15. I was feeling a little better, but I knew I had to get something done.  By the end of the day, I did get the book read and my book review written.  That's all I really cared about at that point.

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good now.  My biggest problem is this dang cough that I have.  It won't bother me for hours and then it comes out of nowhere.  Also, it usually appears when I want to fall asleep.  This is definitely one of those weeks that I am thankful I can work from home and don't have to be miserable at work all day.  Although, I do miss those good old sick days where I got to stay home, lay in bed, and do nothing except read books and watch movies.

I'm hoping that this weekend will be much more productive than the last.

a little dream.

I just really like this picture I took way back in April so I thought I'd share.

Do you ever look at something and think "That would be a great picture."?  Not, "How beautiful," but "That would be a great picture."  Oh, you don't?  Me neither.

I love photography and would very much love taking it up as more of a hobby.  When I'll do that, I don't actually know.  But, I do know that I would love a new camera that is for "serious photographers."  I may not be ready for manual focus yet, but I think it would be fun to play around with!  It's as though I have nothing else to do with my life, right?  Although, I think when I am most busy I long for the simpler things, like enjoying a great picture or reading a good book.

I'll be accepting donations for this new camera.  And, after I get the camera, I'm going to need to take a trip to somewhere photo-worthy to test it out, as well.  (Sounds like a good plan to me!)

new design.

I thought the blog needed a fall facelift.  Check.  Back to work I go...

choo-choo trains and knock-knock jokes.

Today was my first day back subbing since last spring.  I've gotten some phone calls, especially in the last week or so, but had so many other things to do with working another 2 or 3 jobs and taking 2 classes, I really didn't have the energy to even think about substitute teaching.  This morning I got the call to sub in preschool in my preferred district (where I would love to get hired) so, having nothing else that absolutely had to be done today, I went.  I knew I would be tired tonight, and I was right.  Here a just a few highlights from my day.

I was watching the kids play outside and I was standing near the playground equipment.  Two boys were playing "train" and I watched as the train went off the tracks, was stopped by a wood chip, out of control again, stopped by the train whistle, stopped right before it went into the water, lost it's sail in the water, the train became a ship, and the ship drove across land.  Let me tell you, that was one amazing steering wheel.  I think the only thing this train didn't do is fly.  As I'm standing there I had this conversation with the boys:
Boy 1: "Look we are both train drivers!"
Boy 2: "Yeah, look! Train drivers!"
Me: "Do you know what another name for a train driver is?"
Boys: "No, what?"
Me: "An engineer."
Boy 2: "Oh cool, we're engineers!"
Boy 1: "They are also called choo-choo train men."

Oh, of course, silly me.

Right before we went outside to play, one of my worst nightmares came true.  Ok, so that might be a little dramatic, but it was definitely something I had hoped to avoid in all my teaching days.  It took me back to a couple of years ago when I was taking a class on Elementary PE in college and one day we were talking about rainy day activities.  So, our professor gave us all a squirt of shaving cream and told us to smear it all over our desks.  After we had covered our hands in it, she told us to make sure not to get any on our clothes as it might stain/bleach them. Awesome. This is exactly what I signed up for.  And, if you know me at all, I don't like having my hands covered in something gooey/dirty/whatever.  This is always the time that something itches really bad or your hair is in your face, by the way.  Anyhow, my friends in class were making fun of my reaction to this seemingly harmless activity.  Fast forward to today.  The teacher (I was subbing as the aide) tells me she was going to get the shaving cream out for them to play with.  I'm thinking: "Really, is that necessary?" But I bite my tongue and go along with things.  Next thing I know, 14 pre-K students have a huge gob of shaving cream in their hands.  I stood back while they smeared this stuff everywhere.  I still don't really know the purpose, as they played with it for about 5 minutes.  I was then charged with the task of helping them clean their hands, clothes, hair, wherever else they could have possibly gotten this stuff in 5 minutes off.  Then they all went outside and I got to wipe off all the desks.  Oh, what a dream. 

The best part about subbing in the afternoon preschool is that there is a huge break for naptime.  By the time we got all 18 kids settled down, it was quite peaceful.  Just prior to nap time was the time when everyone had to go potty before they got into bed.  I never remembered seeing this open bathroom, boys and girls using the same door-less stalls.  But apparently it happens.  Anyway, it was like directing traffic in there.  It's a good thing there's only 2 stalls, because between that and the kid lingering at the sink washing his hands, and the kid getting a paper towel longer than they are tall, not to mention the line of kids outside the door making noise, it's enough to keep you busy.  I'm just assuming that nobody likes this job and that's why I was doing it.

Overall, it was a good day subbing.  It always amazes me what kids say.  Or what they do when they think nobody can see and/or hear them.  Like sing in the bathroom.  One favorite thing of two particular boys was telling me knock-knock jokes.

Bryan: "Knock knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Bryan "Bryan...that's me!"

Alexander: "Knock knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Alexander: "Alexander...that's me!"
(I'm thinking to myself, "You do know that's not funny, right?")

Hallie: "Knock knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Hallie: "Banana"
Me: "Banana who?"
Hallie: "Banana Peach!"
(At least she's got the whole concept of the knock-knock joke down)

These kids are a bit of a handful, but at least their pretty cute too.  And, apparently my new name is Wicki, because Whitney is so hard to pronounce.

just a quote.

"God who is everywhere, never leaves us. Yet He seems sometimes to be present, sometimes absent. If we do not know Him well, we do not realize that He may be more present to us when He is absent than when He is present."
-Thomas Merton

september.

Well, it's officially been a whole month without me posting a single things.  So much has happened, and yet not much has changed.  Let me see if I can wrap up this month...

1) The month kicked off on a Wednesday, which was also my second week of driving to LA for class...and every week since then, of course.  I've been able to see a few friends, as well as have a little fun shopping.  Wednesdays are pretty much my only day off, so I try to make the most of it.  Of course, if I'm really being good, I work at least an hour in the morning before heading down and then do some homework while I waiting for class to begin.  Usually, though, I kill my time doing other, much more exciting, things.  School is going well.  I enjoy the class I go to (Intro to Spiritual Formation for Educators), my online class I'm just trying to get through for the grade (Philosophy and Values of Education).  That might sound terrible, but so far, not so interesting. 

2) One highlight of going down to school is getting reacquainted with places I used to go all the time.  Namely, Pick Up Stix (Chinese) and, as I've mentioned previously, Berry Cool (awesome frozen yogurt).  We definitely need a Pick Up Stix here, and at least something similar to Berry Cool.

3) I thought that after a couple weeks of school I would start to get calls for subbing.  I've had a few so far, but I haven't actually taken any of the jobs.  I'm thinking tomorrow might be my first day, but I've been wrong before.  I've been staying extremely busy (which is why I haven't posted all month), so it hasn't really been all that bad. 
4) I found out a couple of weeks ago that I am headed on a missions trip in January.  I'll share more details later.  And, if you're really lucky, you might even get a letter from me about it...
5) My parents' anniversary was on the 18th.  We basically spent all of that weekend in the car.  Or, at least it felt that way.  Drove the grandparents to Morro Bay on Saturday and helped around the house over there.  I cleaned inside while my parents tackled the front yard.  Sunday we took a somewhat impromptu trip to Tulare to exchange a few items at the outlet mall, as well as acquire a few new treasures.  I got one of the most comfortable sweatshirts ever at Gap...it just needs to get cold so I can wear the thing!
6) That Sunday night (19th) was also the first team meeting I had for my trip.  I got to meet most everyone on the team (minus a few absentees) and I'm pretty excited about it.  It still seems so far away, so the reality of going honestly hasn't set in yet.
7) The next week was much of the same old thing: work, work, work, school, work, work, work.  Yeah, it's a super exciting thing I've got going on right now.  Unfortunately the weekend away took away from time I needed to stay caught up with homework and work-work.  So I started (and ended) the week feeling behind. 

8) The level of messiness in my room is a direct correlation to the busyness I've been feeling.  I could pretty much work sun-up to sun-down and still have things to do most days.

9) The Amazing Race, Glee, Survivor...just to name a few...all started back last week.  There's a few summer gems on TV, but mostly not.  So, when I have nothing else to do (ha) , at least I have some shows to watch that I enjoy.
10) I have never considered myself a terribly clumsy person, but in the last few weeks I have spilled two full drinks in cars. The first was lemonade all over my car. The second was root beer all over a friend's. It's never water, of course...at least not for me. My mom spilled a glass of water all over the floor in my room. Also, I smacked my leg incredibly hard into the corner of my desk at work one Tuesday. Since then, I can't tell you how many things I've run into...in that exact same, sore, bruised spot, of course.  It's been 3 weeks since that happened, but I can still feel the pain.

11) The Lord has been so good to me this month.  I have more work that I can keep up with, which is a financial blessing.  I have the opportunity to go back to school to further my education.  I've been healthy, as has most of my family.  (Today my dad said he felt like he is getting sick, so I hope it doesn't begin to spread.)  I need to stay healthy in order to take the place of all the sick teachers. 

12) There it is, a whole month summed up in eleven, fairly brief, points.  I can't believe it's already October...

refuge.

Sometimes life is just downright tiresome.  We are always on the move, always trying to get something accomplished.  It's nice to stay busy or have things to do, but often we overload ourselves to a point where we can no longer relax. 

As I read through the Psalms, one word strikes me over and over.  Refuge. 

Think about what that word means.  A refuge is a place of shelter, protection, or safety.  A place of relief, escape. 

"My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."  Psalm 62:7-8

"I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:2

I imagine a man, in the throes of battle.  He's been fighting as hard as he can, but soon realizes his enemies are about to overtake him.  The man turns to the one safe place he knows: "Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress." (Psalm 71:3)  He turns to the Lord, his place of safety and protection. 

May we rest in the truth that God is our refuge from the battles of life.  He will always be there, standing strong.

'God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging...Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth.  He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.'  (Psalm 46:1-3, 8-11)