x+y+w+z=chocolate cake

Okay, so I know it has been a while since I have let people know what is going on. I have recently "outed" myself as a blog stalker to Matt, something I am not proud of.... and I have been working a great deal at JC Penny's at night. On top of that I am taking a math class.

Some of us decided to play with death a little bit and join forces to take Andrew Chen's Elementary Math Graduate Class. Now we all have learned in life so far that there are safety in numbers, so five of us are suffering together. To much of our prayers, our first class was canceled due to snow.... (thank goodness Andrew didn't ask us how much snow we got or find out the rate per hour for the snow fall, my response would have been, "alot.")

We are now three classes in, one Wednesday and two 7 hour long SATURDAYS. How might you ask do you get yourself up in the butt crack of dawn to be in math class. Well I say, chocolate cake!! Math class = chocolate cake. Want the proof, here it is.

7 hours long in class, Karen my great friend is a great cook, and has a wonderful chocolate cake recipe that is to die for!! To get through the day she brings cake!! The first Saturday, she only brought a piece for me, of which I did share. However, the math in my head most of the morning was, (when can I eat the cake? If I change the hours to minutes, how many minutes until lunch? etc... etc..) Probably not the math we were supposed to be doing.

Well this Saturday was a little bit of a different story. Don't get me wrong, there was definitely chocolate cake, and wondering how many calories will I consume if I have one more piece of cake. Aside from this I have learned some things.

My friend Karen is scared to death of math. Often asking, "when am I going to use this in life?" A teacher's dreaded child question...This Saturday I sat with Karen and we worked the fraction problems together. Going slow to not lose her and to teach her what I know, she got the hang of it. She even earned an "honored" Andrew Chen Pen....(a big feat!!!)

I learned some things about myself in this process. I am good at things that I put my mind to. Math does scare me and is not my best subject, but I can teach it and aspire to do better at it. Andrew taught a valuable lesson Saturday, You have to know all the ways to solve a problem to get your students to understand where they are at. Understanding the ENTIRE maze will help you identify what corner your students are stuck in.

Isn't that the goal in life, understanding all the ways to solve a problem and continue to be a life long learner? Or is it to understand that x+y+w+z=chocolate cake?????!!!!!!????

2009 IS MY YEAR!

As many are ringing in the new year either sleeping or partying, I am a little reflective, (and cold, with the wind chill here it is -13 degrees). The year 2008 brought many challenges and joys. Some of you have listed things out, and I am going to steal the idea.

2008 brought:
-A great Florida getaway to get some well needed sun and fun with the "family"
-Lots of snow
-news that my "family" was moving
-prospects of moving to Chicago was on the horizon
-house on the market
-MY BABY MILO TURNED 1!! on Cinco De Mayo!!!
-I celebrated my "57th" birthday with great friends and family
-My first year as a middle school teacher ended, definitely a change from elementary school.
-I tearfully said goodbye to my beloved friends and family.
-I found out what it is like NOT to work over the summer. (Financially, not wise, but Emotionally very wise).
-Rebecca Payne got married, and is not Rebecca Lewis
-I visited the Illinois State fair for the first time, and WORKED MY ASS OFF painting and keeping others from going crazy. (oh i just looked, my ass is still here.)
-My loving sister had a beautiful wedding in Colorado. I was a bridesmaid, and Kim was the beautiful bride.
-My second year of middle school started.
-Said goodbye to my 1998 Nissan Sentra, crushed from a drunk driver. ugh.
-Friends helped me establish a stronger budget, (i am still working on that one!)
-Purchased a 2006 Toyota Camry, still getting used to it.
-Got a second job (again) at JC Penny in the Home Department, (right up my alley)
-Celebrated Thanksgiving with a new group of friends!!
-Had a dead tree fall in my yard
-Shoveled more snow
-Had the best ever Cookie Swap Party!!! (Karen and I are great hostesses!!)
-Got Christmas presents out before Christmas. (a big feat if you know me!)
-Developed new traditions for the holidays, spent with great friends.

You know, 2008 had a lot of tears, both happy and sad ones. God does have a plan for me. I definitely struggled with the notion of change and things that are out of my control. I get very uncomfortable with the "unknown" and have had to shelf that uncomfort. The struggles this year has only made me a stronger person, who is able to be more reflective of my relationships with people. God has provided me with a great support system across the states. Friendships strengthened with the distance of another. Phone calls got longer and more meaningful. Schedules have allowed me to put things on the calendar to look forward to something new.

As Jane said to me this season, "Karen, I want you to have to courage to bust out and meet someone, 2009 is your year!!

To that Jane, I raise my glass and shout, "2009 IS MY YEAR!!!!!"

The Tree Has Fallen, And it got up!

Okay, so freaky thing happened this week. I came home from JCP on Tuesday night and let Milo outside. The winds were kicking up, and I looked at the dead tree from behind my fence in my neighbors yard. I looked at it sway in the wind, looked at my fence and prayed. "God, please let that tree stand for a couple of more years so it doesn't cause any damage. If it needs to fall, let it fall gracefully and not damage anything large, expensive or hurt someone."

Freak thing, THAT NIGHT, or should I say early the next morning, I heard a bang and thought it was probably my trash can tumbling around near the house. I didn't think anything of it, until I let Milo out in the morning. Low and behold, THERE WAS THE TREE, DOWN IN MY YARD. The tree broke in the middle of its trunk and karate chopped one panel of the fence. No damage to the house, no damage to the whole fence, just one lonely panel, and that is only half way down. (the part of the fence that is still standing there is high enough that Milo can't jump over it.) I was a little stunned to say the least. I spent most of my prep period calling all over town trying to figure out who lived behind me. People kept telling me that it is the responsibility of the owner of the dead tree to remove the debris and mend the fence.

After a long morning, I finally found the access to the person's phone number and called. She was extremely nice and understanding. She said that when she got home her and her husband would investigate and determine who owned the tree. She called me back to let me know that her husband would come by and get rid of it today, (Thursday). I came home from class tonight and IT IS GONE!!!!

The fence needs to be repaired still, but the tree is gone. The only unfortunate thing...... I didn't get a picture of a huge tree in my yard. All's well.

It is another challenge that forces me to rely on God. As shitty as things can be sometimes, and I feel like saying, "ENOUGH ALREADY!!" God provides!!