This weekend

This kid got hitched....

This girl became a new friend....

These girls are too much....

And this guy reminded me of the beauty of unexpected friendships...

a powerful prayer

“God, let me make a difference for You that is utterly disproportionate to who I am.” -David Brainerd

Blizzard of Oz

One of the reasons I have this blog is to keep track of moments that I don't want to forget. The "Blizzard of Oz" is no exception. To be blunt, we got a butt ton of snow here in Kansas. Enough snow that we had 4 days off from school. (and there was a weekend in between.) It was actually two separate storms that just happened to only be a couple of days apart. Having the unexpected time off from school is always a blessing. (I am convinced that teachers love snow days more than students.) And with that I give you instagrams finest version of my view of the "Blizzard of Oz" in 2013. 

"Gal"entine's Day

The best way to spend February 14th is to be with those nearest and dearest to you.

To say that Feb. 14, 2013 was one of the best "Valentine's" Days
that I have experienced might be a bit of an understatement.

Abbe and I (along with the help of Adam the grill-master) decided to make dinner for the MNGP's. The Doll boys served as servers and Mags was the hostess with the most-ess.

It was truly a delightful evening.

the littlest tater tot

Meet my newest gal pal Kendal Mae.

 

 

Kendal checking out her new blanket!

 

Kendal and Eva

Eva and me!

A pep talk

This is one of my favorite videos. :)

A Pep Talk From Kid President Transcript

I think we all need a pep talk.
The world needs you so stop being boring. Ya- you!
Boring is easy everybody can be boring. You’re good or not.
Life is not a game people.
Life isn’t a cereal either.
Well, it is a cereal.
And if life is a game aren’t we all on the same team.
I mean really, right?
I’m on your team, you’re on my team.
This is life people, you got air coming through your nose, you got a heartbeat.
That means it’s time to do something.
A poem: “Two road diverged in the woods…”
“… and I took the road less traveled.”
“AND IT HURT, MAN!”
Really bad.
ROCKS! THORNS! And GLASS!
The (something.. know what he says here?) broke.
NOT COOL ROBERT FROST.
But what if there really were two paths.
I want the one that leads to awesome.
It’s like the dude, Journey said: “Don’t stop believing.”unless your dream is stupid.
Then you should get a better dream. I think that’s how it goes.
Get a better dream and keep going, keep going, keep going and keep going.
What if Michael Jordan had quit?
Well he didn’t quit, he retired, ya yes, he retired.
Before that, in high school, what if he quit and didn’t make the team he would of never made Space-jam and I love Space Jam.
What would be your space-jam, what will you create to make the world awesome?
Nothing if you keep siting there.
That’s why I’m talking to you today.
This is your time.
This is my time.
It’s our time, if we can make everyday better for each other, if we’re all in the same team lets start acting like it.
We got work to do.
We can cry about it or dance about it.
We were made to be awesome.
Lets get out there. I
don’t know everything, I’m just a kid.
But I know this, its everybody’s duty to give the world a reason to dance.
So get to it. You’ve just been pep talked.
Create something that will make the world awesome.
Play ball.

Unexpected blessings...

I have been writing this blog post in my head for the past couple of days so now it's time to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard.) Before I can fully enter in to 2013, I must reflect on 2012. So with that... here are my reflections on 2012 and the unexpected blessings that rocked my world.

• This time last year I knew I was going to Haiti but had never heard of Moldova. I love leaving the country but it was an unexpected blessing to get to leave the country twice in the same year.

• Having a student teacher brought a new experience to my teaching career but also an unexpected new friend. (#bestinternever)

• It only took us 11 years for us to actually have a real face-to-face conversation. (We have loads of mutual friends from K-State but never actually met until the fall of 2011.) An amazing unexpected blessing of 2012 is my friendship with my dear sister Abbe.

• I found out in 2012 that one day (hopefully sooner rather than later) I will be an aunt. (My sister and her husband have begun the process to adopt from Ethiopia.) My heart is overjoyed at their decision to adopt. 

• Getting to lead a team with two of my dearest brothers was definitely an unexpected blessing. (Life really is better when you've got a posse.)

• I can't even begin to tell you the joy in the tears that I shed when Reb sent me these pictures. The friendship that I have with Claire's adoptive parents is an unexpected blessing.

• Kendal Mae Gibson is the smallest unexpected blessing of my 2012. Her mom and dad are two of my dearest friends. I'm excited to get to be part of her life for many years to come. 

It's always good for me to look back because then I can look forward with a deeper sense of gratitude and a greater sense of anticipation. Here's to 2013. I'm excited to see what this year will hold.