Mama Said There'd Be...Weeks Like This?

I wrote this really long heartfelt entry about how these past couple weeks at school have made me feel. Then I read it back and realized how depressing it was. So I deleted it. Let's just leave it at that and pray next week is better.

A Very Close Call

So I wake up this morning with this outstanding headache that I am still currently trying to fight off. Perhaps it's due to my missed/forgotten chiropractor appointment yesterday, or maybe it's simply a result of the horrific week I've had at school; nonetheless, it's here.
I have recently run out of my supply of Mountain Dew at the house so I had to stop at the corner Diamond Shamrock to buy myself my morning Dew. As I walk up to the case I notice a lot of Diet Mt. Dew...I do not drink Diet Mt. Dew, I don't know who would it's absolutely disgusting! Then, to my dismay, I notice the two rows next to the diet (where the regular Dew should be) are empty! NOOOOOOOO! I thought I was going to have to go on a hunt for my morning Mt. Dew (everyone must be having a week like mine). Then I notice in the very back of the row there is one remaining...one just for me and my horrific headache. Hallelujah! My day has been saved! Thank you Diamond Shamrock for saving just one Mt. Dew for me!

Deep Thoughts by Mark Abshier...

So the other day Mark (my preacher) says to my friend Tamra, " I bet hanging out with April is like having a moving cocktail party...it's fun wherever you're at." HA! That is a wise man if I ever saw it!

It's Been A Ding Dong Day

So I'm sitting outside with this awesome 1st grader and we are discussing the goofy things I've been doing that qualify me for being a ding dong. We're talking he says, "the first time my big sister saw you she thought you were a student." So I said, "really?? The first time I saw you I thought you were a parent!" He looked at me for a very long time (at least 10 seconds), and said, "when I was in kindergarten, you thought I was a parent?" and I said, "I did." Then he looked at me, thinking very hard, for at least another 20 seconds and finally said, "a mom or a dad?" He was so serious! I laugh very hard for a short time and we continue our conversation and it went something like this:

Student: What else did you do that made you a ding dong?
Miss Stephens: Well I hit my head yesterday, do you think I have a concussion?
Student: (stares blankly) I don't know what that is.
Miss Stephens: It's when you hit your head and can't think straight (that's the medical answer!)
Student: Oh, well let me ask you some questions to find out. What is 1-1?
Miss Stephens: (thinks really hard and guesses...) 2?
Student: No that's adding
Miss Stephens: Oh right!...um...0? Is that right?
Student: (again thinks for a little while) Actually I don't know the answer to that question!

I love this kid!

National Singles Week

Did you know this week is National Singles Week? That's right, I just read it on msn. What is this about? I would think most people would not want to celebrate their singlehood, but I think us single people should celebrate! While most of us hope to have a significant other at some point in time, it does not mean we want it right now. We may complain about not having that special someone but deep down we know that we live a life married people can only dream about. Isn't it funny how we always want what we don't have? Single people want to be married and married people dream of being single again! Why can't we just be happy with the life God has given us at this exact moment in time? I'm having a blast here in San Antonio with my group of friends. We spend just about all our time together and it's awesome. Although, I still could really go for a date right now! HA! Hope you all have a wunderbar weekend and HAPPY SINGLES WEEK! Enjoy it...we're single!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Dumbest Blonde Moment Ever!

So this morning I realized I needed gas before heading to school, no big deal right? Well, first of all, the lines were really long. I guess because of Hurrican Rita. Second, there was a sign on every pump that said, "out of unleaded, use plus." Well, being a teacher and all, I only read the first part and completely ignored the comma. So I'm trying to put unleaded in my car and it won't work! I get frustrated and move my car to another pump thinking something is just wrong with that one! Same thing happens at this one! Then it dawns on me, "out of unleaded, USE PLUS!" I interpretted that sign to mean, "Out of unleaded plus." What an idiot! I can't even read a goofy sign. This just gives you a small hint of what this week has been like! UGH!

The Boy I Live Vicariously Through...

Richard Barth...one of the coolest guys I know, and one of the few cute redheads (besides my brother of course) I've ever seen! I used to be in musicals with him in high school, and of course I had a HUGE crush on (and got to kiss in "Hello Dolly!") We all talked about performing as a career and going to Broadway. But this guy is actually doing it! Check out this article about his current endeavor. This guy is incredible!! I wish I was as courageous as him! Keep it up Richard!

A Movie Star?? From My Past?

So check this out...fellow Oklahoma Christian University alum, Ray Bailey, made a movie! He always said he would and he did. It looks fairly cheesy but who knows, maybe it will be a hit, then I can say, "I know the lead in that movie...he held my hand at the movie theatre when we went to see 'Pitch Dark!'" Oh I also had the pleasure (or pure torture) of listening to him make out with Miranda Danley on Chorale tour!
The movie trailer:
http://www.doubleedgefilms.com/DEFmain.html

Aye Mate!

Did you know that today is "National Talk Like a Pirate Day"? It's the truth. I discovered it last year when one of my music curriculum magazines published a song dedicated to this special holiday. Well today I learned...the rest of the story...
Turns out these two average guys are playing racketball (I have no idea how to spell this word!) and start talking like pirates (I'm not even kidding!). Then they get to talking and I would think it went something like this (in a pirate accent of course):
"Aye Mate, this talking like a pirate!"
"Shiver me timbers, let's try to make it a holiday."
"Even better...a national holiday"
"Aye and let's do it on September 19, for this is my ex-wife's birthday (I do not tell a
lie!) ...we could make her walk the plank!"

This is the true story of how "Talk Like A Pirate Day" came about. I leave you with the lyrics of a song entitled, "Talk Like A Pirate."

Chorus:
Talk like a Pirate Day, talk like a pirate now! ARRRRRR!
Talk like a Pirate Day today, Pirate Day!

Talk like a pirate on his boat, talk like a pirate now! ARRRRR!
Talk like a pirate on his boat, on his boat!
Shiver me timbers! Walk the plank!
Scurvy Dogs! Ahoy matey!
Swab the deck! Yo ho ho!

Chorus

Repeat above


X Marks the spot! A pirate's life for me.

A Loss For Words...

I've been sitting on an amazing experience for a week now. I've wanted to share this experience so much with you all but have not been able to find the right words. I went to the Hurrican Katrina shelter here in San Antonio last week and spent time with the people staying there. I still have not the words, and imagine I will never, to express the amazing experience I had. I literally am at a loss for words.
I want so much to tell you about all the people I met and their amazing stories but it would take too long, I wish I could share the emotions I felt after leaving the shelter but I could never do it through words. But I will try my best to tell you about my experiences at the shelter as they happen. For now, I ask that you pray for three specific people (I changed their names but God will know who you are talking about):

Joe: An elderly man who lost his wife eight years ago. He had incredibly uplifting things to say about life and his wonderful marriage. After losing everything, he is an encouragement to everyone with an incredible sense of humor amid a not so humorous disaster. Pray that Joe will maintain his sense of humor throughout his time at the shelter.

Josie: An elderly woman with a child who has cerebral palsy. They were on their roof for five days before being rescued. She plans to make San Antonio her home now that she is here. She says she will try her best to do what God has in store for her. What a beautiful heart this woman has. Pray a prayer of thanksgiving that she and her son are safe and that she remain a bright light of hope in a dim situation.

Jaylen: An incredibly sassy six year old who started school this past Monday. She's an expert hula hooper, with an amazing sense of style (she showed us her back to school outfit). Please pray the students will accept her and all the evacuees into their schools. Pray that she will have some sense of normalcy as time goes by.

These are just a few of the people I met and spoke with. If you would like more information about our shelter experiences, check out Karessa's blog as she is also writing about some of our experiences.

Did You Know That?

So I'm sitting in study hall and this little first grader comes to get his homework checked and sees picture of my brother and I at my college graduation on my computer. He says, "who's that?" and I, assuming he means 'who's that guy?', say, "that's my brother." He surprises me with the response, "he looks like a girl, did you know that?" I was like, what?? Then he says, "he looks like you" and it occurs to me that he is looking at me in the picture! So I say, "are you looking at me in the picture?" and then he says, "oh, is that you in the picture?" I say, "yes with my brother." and he says, "Oh I didn't even see the brother." HA!! What a ding dong!

Freddie's Back

I just want to announce that my ex-boyfriend Freddie Prinze Jr. (once he married Sarah Michelle Geller he lost all credibility) is in a new sitcom cleverly titled "Freddie". That's right! I cannot wait!!! I LOVE HIM! I realize that he is a total teeny bopper has been but I don't care...I will remain a faithful watcher of this new series just because I am faithful to my past admiration of Freddie Prinze Jr.!!

Carlos the Computer Guy

So we have a computer tech who is in charge of our network here at CHS, his name is Carlos the computer guy (that really is what everyone calls him, it's not just Carlos ever!). When he first came last Spring, we were having a ton of computer problems, our first computer guy just made things worse. So it was a happy day when Carlos came to save the day. Our school secretary told me that she thought I needed to date him so as to have someone on the "inside" of the whole operation, "it may get fixed quicker if we have someone working on the inside." HA! I laughed a lot at this.
Well, I just ran into Carlos the computer guy on campus today and remembered something very appealing about him...he's young, very well-dressed, good looking, excellent hairstyle (which is important), has an accent, but more than that...he smells amazing! I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing whatever cologne he has smells. Whatever cologne he wears, he needs to pass it on to other men because it is some good stuff!
Karessa and I have been on a mission to get asked out on dates (so far not so successful) but being cute girls we hope that will change in the near future. So now I'm thinking, "maybe I can get Carlos the computer guy" to ask me out...hmmm, I do like a well-dressed man who just happens to smell amazing...have I mentioned that yet?!

Music in the Midst of Disaster

Over the weekend, Karessa and I spent some time at the shelter for Hurricane Katrina victims at the old Kelly AFB here in San Antonio. It was amazing to see the city come together and embrace these thousands of people. We plan to spend as much time as possible helping but there are a couple of stories that already have made an impression on my heart.
On Friday morning, we were at the donation center sorting clothes when a truck full of bed linens came. I noticed the man had a Holiday Inn name tag so I asked him how it was possible that the hotel was able to donate so many linens. He said they just so happened to get all new linens for their hotel so they just happen to have an entire hotel's worth of linens to give away! How amazing is it that God was preparing our city to give before we ever knew it would be necessary?!
On Friday night, Karessa and I headed over to the actual shelter where the evacuees are staying to see about setting up times to bring our high schoolers to hang out with the teens in the shelter. As we walked in, I couldn't help but notice a man standing outside playing his soprano saxophone. It seemed quite obvious that he was an evacuee, seeing as he was not wearing matching clothes (most likely donated). I was so moved by the fact that in all that was going on his life, he still wanted to play his music. I've never been to New Orleans but I know that it is full of musicians who often play in the streets as people go by. I'd like to speculate that this man is one of these performers who saved his instrument in order to encourage those around him in the shelter with the gift of music God has given him. What an awesome thing to do!
On a side note...I would just like to say how excited I am to bring New Orleans' music to San Antonio!! We are about to be schooled in Jazz, I can just feel it!!!!!!!

A Crash Course in Pre-K Music

HA! I'm already laughing just thinking about what occurred in my preschool 2 year old class today. You see, we move to this classical piece and tell the story of a cuckoo bird who lives in a cuckoo clock and keeps the steady time all day, but at night (when the music changes), the cuckoo bird flies from its' clock. One of the teachers in pre-k began to fly and she took like two steps and did a face plant into the floor! If you know me at all, you know that people falling down is just about the funniest thing ever to me, so as you can imagine I had a really hard time keeping my composure. Well it wasn't long after that, two of the kids were "flying" and ran straight into each other and completely fell over. It was hilarious! What a day!

Disclaimer: I mean no offense to pre-k teacher, I've had my share of spills as well...I totally feel your pain!