A trip home

10 years ago.

Laying backwards in my bed. Trying to catch up on my assigned The Hiding Place reading for Mrs. McMichael’s class the next morning.

My mom comes to my room and shares news about my classmate. I shook my head trying to clear the confusion and shake back to reality. She said the same thing, again.

It couldn’t be true.

I went next door to my friend’s house to confirm the news.

It was true.

I went to Spencerville today and my mind flashed back to that night ten years ago—the night that my classmates and I grew up and closer as we mourned the loss of a friend.

I thought about the lessons we learned and the memories we shared. I thought about what seemed so important then and what matters now. Being a high school teacher, I feel as I’m in a bit of a unique position to watch that cycle play over and over again. My student’s experiences are so incredibly different than my experiences. In so many ways, I wish for my students to have my experiences. Today, I think I realized why.

Friday nights dressed ridiculously in order to support the best team, even if that meant we lost.

Life lessons in Calculus that began with, “When you’re in college, friends are going to come and ask you to go out for root beer and…”

Dressing up for every basketball game, never passing but always handing off the ball to the ref, and striving to create a repetition of a class act.

Reciting commitments to “Make the best better” and “…pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country and my world.“

While that only scratches the surface of what flooded my mind as I drove back to Lima today, I realized the building blocks of my foundation. It was more than team spirit and clubs. It was life lessons. Lessons that impact my life.

I don’t know that those teachers and leaders knew then when they shared stories or managed their classrooms how often tidbits flash before me still now 10+ years later. But they do. They are an inner voice. A reminder. A goal to strive for.

I guess that’s what brings me back to my students. It has been a trying year. A very trying year. One class period makes me want to quit my job nearly daily. A combination of that and upperclassmen making “next step” decisions, I’ve been asked a lot, “Why did you become a high school teacher anyway?!” In many moments I want to respond, “I don’t even know.”

But today, I was reminded.

I want to be a part of the building block foundation for my students’ lives. I want them to know that they are cared for. I want them to know what it means to be passionate and committed, even if that happens in the 53 minutes they are in my class each day. I want them to know that they are a part of something bigger.

I want it to be 5 or 10 years later and they make the right decision because of an inner voice, a reminder, a goal, a lesson from my classroom. 

Spring Is Finally Here

Spring!!!  Seems to be the time of year when I (Chris) feel like starting things up again....like blogging and gardening and running.  This post counts as one of those three, and I have pictures of the garden's progress.  That means I have yet to start up on the running!  In time.

My neighbors haven't started mowing their yards yet, so I haven't enjoyed the smell of fresh cut grass yet.  As soon as my neighbor begins cutting his yard, I will have to play catch up.  He keeps his yard looking very nice, with short cut grass and good looking landscaping.  I just tend to not mow all the time when others do.  Oh wait, I looked out the window and my neighbor is getting his mower out.  I guess it's time!

I have been busy with the garden though.  Jacoby and Ainsley received some garden tools from Jake and Joie for Jacoby's birthday, so they have been putting them to good use already.  I don't use a tiller to loosen the soil in my garden.  I do it by hand with a garden fork and a cultivator. Every day for a week and a half both kids helped me work up each raised bed so they would be ready for planting.  It made it more enjoyable only working up one bed at a time.

As of today, I have peas popping up and asparagus popping up!  Very excited for the asparagus soon.  The strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are also budding and growing well.  Here are some pictures of their progress.

Asparagus

Peas, caged to keep Jacoby out!

Blackberries

Raspberries

Strawberries

Barefooted Soil-Sampler

Big sister helping her brother up

In this last picture, you can see my homemade compost.  My mom gave me a compost bin tumbler for my 29 and 2 month birthday last year, and this is the first batch to come out.  I screened out all the big chunks so that it was only the fines.  I'm looking forward to making more batches and seeing how well it works and adds to the garden's health.

Well, this marks the end of a good day!  Farewell until next time.

-mister

101 in 1001 Final Update

On June 24^th I created a list of 101 goals to accomplish in 1001 days. And while I accomplished a lot, I got no where near accomplishing them all! Friday marked 1,001 days, so in hopes of kickstarting the habit of blogging again, I figured I’d update this ol’ list before starting fresh with a new one!

Start Date: June 24th, 2011


Goal Completion Date: March 21th, 2014


Goals Completed: 60/101

Food

6.       Do the “Daniel Diet” for 14 days.  Perhaps soon with the Biggest Loser competition at work!

Fitness

14.   Do 50 real push-ups in one sitting. Short breathers permitted. Ha! No where close! More like 25 girly push-ups!

17.   Do the splits. See above comment. :)

18.   Complete a duathalon. Pregnant two out of the three possible summers didn’t help with accomplishing this one!

Personal

26.   Limit my closet to 20 pairs of shoes. Accomplished!

27.   Get a new Passport with current last name.

31.   Deposit a dollar outside.

Relational

33.   Host a dinner party.

34.   Invite friends—outside of Girls Group—into our home 6 times over the course of 3 months.  We were intentional about having family/friends over, but I don’t think this one was actually accomplished!

35.   Read 100 complete books to our child. Not a 100 different ones!

36.   Go on a double date.

37.   Plan a surprise party. Accomplished! After really dropping the ball for Chris’ birthday last year, I planned a surprise 29 and 2 months birthday party for him in September. His mom even made a cake with “Happy 29 1/6^th Birthday, Chris!”

38.   Take a “flip coin” road trip with Chris.

39.   Stay at a bed-and-breakfast as a weekend getaway. We’ve got one in the works for our anniversary!

Awareness

45.   Read 43 books from BBC Top 100 books. [2/43] This was like pulling teeth to enjoy them at first. Now I barely make time to read! :S

46.   Sew an article of clothing and wear it in public. [Beyond a simple seam and hem.] Nope, sewing machine’s a bit dusty!

Blog

48.   Blog about each of my 101 accomplished goals, unless supposed to be anonymous or uber personal. Accomplished. ;)

50.   Answer 50 Questions that will Free Your Mind, perhaps blog about them. I started with questions 1-5.

Spiritual

51.   Read the Bible every day to our lil’ bean for 30 days. Accomplished! We ready the Bible every night for two months before bed, but haven’t been doing so well in March!

52.   Pray every night with Chris before bed for 30 days. :(

54.   Memorize the books of the Old Testament, in order. [27/39]

55.   Study a book of the Bible with Chris.

Outdoorsy Stuff

56.   Sleep under the stars.

58.   Go fishing.

59.   Play in the rain.

61.   Camp out in our backyard.

62.   Build a fire without a match/lighter.

63.   Build a snow_____ [fort, man, etc].

64.   Go skiing.

65.   Go sledding.

Just For Fun

68.   Complete a photo challenge. I tried to accomplish this one about 5 times, each time a failure!

70.   Submit a post to PostSecret.

72.   Learn to tie a tie.

73.   Create a font in my handwriting. I printed the paper work to do this one about 5 times, but never actually did!

75.   Go to Cedar Point. Accomplished! Chris and I went! We were only there a couple hours before it started to rain so we decided to leave without getting our hands stamped. As we left Olive Garden for lunch, we walked outside to an absolutely gorgeous day. We kind of kicked ourselves for not getting our hands stamped, but decided not to be upset about it and enjoyed a leisure ride home!

Giving Back

78.   Pick 5 people who have changed my life and write each of them a letter. I wrote one!

79.   Leave 25 Operation Beautiful notes.

80.   Write three “Dear Stranger” letters and leave them in random spots around Lima.

81.   Donate blood 3 times. I donated twice. Pregnancy took me out so much on this one!

82.   Plant a tree.

84.   Write our Compassion Gospel for Asia sponsor child once a month for a year. Ugh! This was much more difficult and more ambitious than I thought it would be!

85.   Send hand-written notes of encouragement to 10 friends/family members. I probably got close on this one, but didn’t really keep track.

87.   Leave a 100% tip.

89.   Put together 5 Christmas shoe boxes. I got the boxes this past Christmas but never put them together! Perhaps I should do it now, so I’m actually ready for next Christmas!

90.   Contact 5 managers about the good work a specific employee has done. Only once did I do this!

Finances

93.   Pay off 2 student loans. Accomplished! We’re doing well with this! Looking forward to throwing a party when they are alllllll paid off! For.real.

94.   Continue to have $0 debt outside of Mortgage and Student Loans. Accomplished! Yep! Yep!

96.   Save half of my “Rachel Money” every week for 2 months. I changed the way I budget and no longer have “Rachel Money”.

97.   Do not buy anything for myself for one whole month. Eek. Nope!

98.   Teach someone the basics of couponing. I’ve given pointers and tips but not actually sit down and teach anyone. I’ve kind of fallen of the couponing bandwagon now too.

99.   Make no withdrawals from savings accounts [excluding possible car purchases]. Accomplished!

100.   Save $5 for each completed task. I didn’t do this as I went! I should of!

101.   Donate $5 for each incomplete task. Accomplishing. I didn’t do this either as I went, but am going to donate now!

Looks like it’s time to make some more goals!! :)

Dear Jacoby | 1 year

Coby J-

Happy birthday little man!

At least 4 times a week, your papa and I go from looking at you to looking at each other and back at you, commenting how big you are getting. You really are becoming a little man!

You are determined. When you set your little mind to something, you are going to achieve it. You can see it in your eyes and that little wrinkle in your brow. You're strong. Sometimes Ains will be standing on a kitchen chair and you'll slide her around the kitchen without as much as a grunt!

You are handsome. I love how your hair curls up like your papa's when you get a little sweaty. You've got a dimple so deep on your cheek and a toothy smile that causes everyone to smile right back at you. Not to mention those big ol' eyes! You're such a little charmer--it makes me a bit nervous for when girls catch your eyes especially with that slobbery kiss you give!

You began walking at 9.5 months--exactly a week before Christmas--and you haven't slowed down yet. I love how everything you do screams I'm a little boy! Exploring. Playing with rocks. Eating dirt. You enjoy it all!

Family and friends helped celebrate your first birthday with a "Little Man" themed birthday party complete with mustaches, manwhiches and little man [root] beer. You weren't as excited with your mustache smash cake as we expected. You literally destroy nearly all meals but after a few bites you were done with your cake and ready to play on the floor again.

The morning of your birthday party, you were dedicated at church. At the church we previously attended, the baby dedication was on a date that didn't work for us, so we hadn't had you dedicated yet. It made is nice though that we were able to have family and friends attend church to be a part of officially committing to raise you in a Godly manner. I know your papa and I will fail at times, but it is our intention to raise you to love and serve God regardless of what that may look like. More than that, all of your family attending church and the entire congregation at Lima First Assembly also commit to help raise you in such a way. I hope you grow to be all that God has designed you to be little man--and I'm excited to watch that develop in you!

 The past year has been a wonderful year. You bring joy and charm to our life and we celebrate our blessed we are to have you in our family. We love you so much and love how much you love us--including your big sis--in return!

Love,
Momma

Happy 2nd Birthday, Ainsley!

Dear Ainsley, 

Happy 2nd birthday, little lady! And what a little lady you are turning into--already! Someday when you're old enough and stumble upon this journal, you are going to read about how right "they" are. 

They say time goes so fast. 

They say cherish the moments. 

They say you can't comprehend a mother's love. 

They say that raising children can be tough, but oh so worth it. 

And you know what, Pete? They are right. 

Time goes so fast--how can I be the mother of a two year old?! A toddler?! A developing young lady with a personality that both takes my breath away and makes me cringe! (Usually only when you're mimicking me!)

I am cherishing the moments--because they'll slip right through our clasped hands if we don't. Life and circumstances will continue to evolve, and with that the day is coming when you will no longer beg to watch "Eenna", declare that Coby is AWAKE! until he finally is so that you can kiss and play with him, want to snuggle at bedtime after reading a stack and an half of books--twice. You're going to have your endless questions of "What's that?!", "Why?!" and "What's that noise?!" answered by someone else. So in the meantime, I'll explain life to you the best I can--even when I don't know exactly how the automatic flusher works exactly, I'll snuggle on your toddler mattress long after the first yawn of the night, and I'll allow my heart to be filled with joy as you fulfill your big sister role so well. 

Sweet baby girl, you can't comprehend your momma's love for you. To say I love you to the moon and back would be an understatement. You are who made me a mother, and you are the one who is refining me as a mother. No matter how disappointed I try to pretend to be when you pee your pants two minutes after you say you don't have to go or when you get that look in your eye and deliberately disobey my instruction, Ainsley Jo, I could never love you less or be less proud to be your momma. One day--in many, many years--you'll make me a grandmomma and you'll begin to understand my love for you. 

Raising you (and your brother) can be tough, but oh so worth it! I've only been at this gig for two years and I know I've made mistakes. There have been times I responded "no!" too quickly, cut story time too short, been upset too long, spent too much time on Pinterest, and didn't give myself 100% to the here and the now that will truly matter in the days to come. What seems like a perfect balance one day, is complete chaos the next. There have been nights of tears and shaking my head from a few feet away because I have to step away because as a mother, as your mother I have absolutely no idea how to meet your needs--how to love you and shape you and teach you and comfort you and discipline you into the person you were made to be. 

But they are right. 

Children are worth it. 

You are worth it. 

You make it worth it. Even at two, your personality and love has flooded my heart and added meaning to my life. 

Happy 2nd Birthday, Princess! Keep on being you--because you are a beautiful creation!

Love, 

Momma

2 More Summertime Goals

Alright, blogworld, here's the deal.

I have about half a dozen posts half-written in my mind, but I still have some 101 in 1001 goals to update on here. So, here's another checklist kind of post after a whirlwind of July so I can get my blog-brain up to date!

77.   Go to the drive in movies.
During the last week of June, my niece and nephew stayed the night with the plan to see Monsters University that even. You see we've got some serious Monsters' fans in the family! My niece used to beg to watch Monsters, Inc--and take a bubble bath and brush her teeth--every.single.time she came to our house. My nephew is equally enthralled with Sulley & Mike; as is Ainsley! I can't even guess how many times I've watched Monsters, Inc. Coincidentally the Van-Del Drive-ins has BOGO on Tuesdays evening and kiddos 5 and under are free. So for seven bucks, Mister, Sondra [2 days shy of her 6th birthday!], Stuart, Ainsley, Jacoby, and I were able to enjoy a movie! 

About three-fourths of the way through the movie, the temperature dropped drastically. People scurried about collecting blankets and popcorn bowls, seeking refuge in their cars. Sondra turned to me asking if we should get in car. I relieved her that everyone else was just wimps, we'd be fine, buuuut I did keep a close eye on the lightening in the distance! The kiddos stayed up for almost all of the movie, with just a little dozing off at the end! They then slept the whole way home and all through the night. 

Cue the hallelujah chorus!

10.     Can vegetables grown in our garden.
I felt a bit of pressure looming with this goal. You see, last year, I thought our garden was pretty lush. This year? I don't feel like we've gotten much out of it. Either way, if I wanted to accomplish this goal I needed to can something. 

After thinking that I picked all the beans and then being informed of a whole 'nother section, I realized green beans was the produce of choice. [That and we did grow any other commonly cannable produce this year.]

So we took our snipped beans out the Mister's parents and his mom helped teach me.  You see, we have "uh garden" at our house, but Mister's parents? Now they have A GARDEN! And his mom is good at storing away for winter. 

Mmmmm... How I love some comfort food on a chill winter night that includes preserved summertime favorites. Green beans. Corn. Peaches. Yum! Yum! So that's where this goal came from and we spent some time canning. Nancy really did all the work and I just asked all the questions. I'm no where near being able to do it by myself--although Mister reassured me that there's this thing called a "user's manual" and it'd probably be able to walk me through it step by step. I'd say he was talking nonsense! ;-)

In the end, we had enough to can just 5 quarts of green beans, but I'm already looking forward to enjoying them this fall/winter! Next year I'm hoping for the bountiful harvest, or at least not being on vacation when my mother-in-law could use the help canning beans and cutting corn!

Dear Jacoby [4 months]

Hey Brudda-bubba! Here you are at your four-month birthday and checking things off the milestone list. Even though you and your sister are only a year and an half apart, my memory doesn't serve me too well on when she met each milestone so I'm just as excited for the new things you do! I was afraid that it'd be "old news" since I'd seen it before. You know, lil' man, I've seen the first roll before. I've seen the first experience with food. It'd be no big deal when it was YOUR first, but, I'll admit I was wrong!

It's actually probably MORE exciting because I'm not worried when the books say you should be doing things so you catch me by pleasant surprise!

Within the last few days you've been rolling over. It takes a bit of effort, but you get the job done--you're even more effective on the bed with a little give. On vacation right at your 4-month mark, I was upstairs prepping for a meal when your grandpa Clum called up, "Uh! Rachel! You may want to come downstairs! Your son is rolling over!!" It was neat to see their excitement for you of a [near] first rollover!

Speaking of vacation, you met the ocean and beach for the first time! 16 adults, 9 of your little cousins, your sis, and you all spent a week together just a couple blocks off the ocean in Surfside Beavh! It was overall a lot of fun and while you won't remember any of it being so young, trust that you enjoyed yourself--mostly!

About halfway through the week, you got a bit cranky yet we weren't sure why--and still aren't sure what was going on. A bit of a fever and not yourself. With a little infant ibuprofen and extra Momma cuddles, it was made so it wasn't miserable for anyone. Thursday night of vacation we went to bed--
all four of us in a double bed in our shared room with Aunt Joie and Uncle Jake--about 2:30 Ains
woke coughing, then you started coughing, almost gagging. Immediately I took you to the bathroom, but we didn't clear the bedroom before I was drenched in baby puke!

In order to keep the peace with the other 24 family members, you and I spent the next 3 hours in the garage--nursing and crying and bouncing and crying and changing diapers and crying and nursing and crying and crying and...well, you get the point! Up to this point, you were the only one crying! I had hit my limit though. I didn't know what to do for you. All my momma tricks were exhausted and ineffective. So I did what any good mom would do--I walked away.

I laid your fussy little body on an air mattress, shut the door and went to get your papa. This was the first time--with either you or your sis--that I had reached such limit.

I had no idea how to be your momma and meet your hidden need.

Waking from his slumber, your papa picked you up and bounced and rocked and tried his best to
soothe you. I went back into the house and begon looking for a set of keys so we could drive around--Facebook and Pinterest can only keep one so busy when exhausted in the middle of the night. Car rides aren't necessarily a favorite of yours, but it was worth a shot! Your grandmomma woke as I rustled things in her room, but I finally found them!

We loaded up in the car and headed to drive. To drive wherever and for however long. This is when I lost it. Tears began to fall and you began to fall asleep.

I left the subdivision we were staying in and drove. A few gallons of gas burned and a peaceful sleeping baby, we pulled back into the drive. I put the car in park and your eyes were once again wide open and filled with tears. I let out an exasperated sigh and cuddled you in the backseat of the Acadia, finally falling asleep with you in my arms for about an hour.

We made our way back into the vacation home where some family had already work early for breakfast--your grandmomma thought we had gone to watch the sunrise, yeah, I wished, lil' man!

You are worth it lil' guy. Even on the worst nights, finding comfort snuggled against my chest, it is worth it all.

Love,

Momma

P. S. You are now almost 17 lbs and 25 inches tall/long! Keep agrowin'!

{8} 101 in 1001 Goal Updates

I thought I wasn't doing so hot on my 101 goals to accomplish in 1001 days, but in reality it looks like I'm just not doing well blogging about them! I counted 'em up and have EIGHT to update!

5.     Drink no pop for 6 months.
This one wasn't too hard as I have gone longer without pop. It was more difficult to remember that I wasn't supposed to drink it than it was to say no to it. Other than the cherry pops--Cherry Coke, Cherry Pepsi, Cherry 7up--I don't really miss pop too much. So compared to how bad it supposedly is for ya, it's no biggie to say no! [I can't remember the last time I had it actually.]

23.   Get a professional massage.
February 2nd. While at my second chiropractor visit [in my life in prep to make sure all was in alignment for Jacoby to slide squeeeeeeze out] I scheduled an hour massage by the massage therapist that shares an office with him. It was nice. It was relaxing. It was worth it. [Especially since the office still hasn't sent me the bill!] The oddest part was with my normal massage therapist aka the wonderful mister I give a lot more direction--a little to the left, harder there, not so hard there--but with this appointment, I just let her do her thang!

29.   Only trim hair until lil’ bean’s first birthday.
I'm bad about regularly getting my hair trimmed and usually just get it cut [2-3 inches]. I mean you pay the same amount whether you get half an inch or half a foot chopped off. Doesn't seem quite right. Anyways, I made this goal to prevent a spur of the moment chopping... and I did it. It wasn't until 3 months after Ainsley's birthday that I had more than a trim. 

49.   Blog a personal/life update once a month for 6 months.
Well since Ainsley and Jacoby are our life. Just click on those tabs to check out those updates. :)

Handsome lil' man

Miss Personality & Mister

66.   Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years.
Sign. Sealed. Delivered--to-our-basket-of-important-things-that-I-don't-want-to-lose. I actually already forget what I wrote and suddenly look forward to reading it!

71.   Go ice-skating.

The weekend after Thanksgiving, Mister and I traveled to Chicago for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference. It was the first time for us both to be away from Ainsley overnight and served as a bit of a babymoon before Jacoby's arrival. While there, we went ice skating at Millennium Park! We enjoyed ourselves and could easily tell the difference between newbies aka US and experienced skaters aka those circling us as they whizzed by! Neither of us fell either which was good considering I was 6 months preggo!

88.   Send an anonymous note of encouragement/flowers.
I did it. November 2011. I intentionally didn't blog about this one since it was to be anonymous. :)

And last, but certainly not least!
After today's 5k and playing at the park, we headed home. By the time we got home, the two little ones were asleep and after showering, Mister quickly crashed as well. And so I decided I might as well accomplish another goal!

92.   Grow out hair and donate it.

Before

After

 [Sorry! I don't know why they've formatted funkily!]

Pantene's Beautiful Lengths has 9+ inches of Rachel hair!

And there ya have it! Almost halfway to accomplishing all my goals!