happy birthday

Happy 1st Birthday

 to sweet baby Nathaniel.

He's my favorite.

 He's walking in this picture... 

I saw him take his first steps.

He moves on to a different classroom now.

So sad..

 I'd say I've grown attached.

       So it goes.....

                      

Just another Friday

Breakfast and Books.

I do this once a month with Pace.

Last Friday of every month.

The girls read a book every month.

I read it, too.
We (the mentors) are paired up with one girl (the mentees)

and we go to Books A Million,

in Naples,

and talk about it.

Then we talk about, well, whatever we want.

What's better than coffee, discussion of books,

and good conversation?

Nothing. 

:)

Decided to do all activities outside today for After-School.

It's Friday, the kids have no homework,

so we read and played outside all day.

And they picked flowers, too.

Then, at the end of the day, we had to say goodbye to one of my favorite kids.

He's leaving the school, and therefore, leaving our program.

So sad to see him go.

We gave him a card, and I gave him some bubbles.

Another kid gave him a toy that he had just "won" that day in school.

It was the sweetest.

(Disclaimer: impossible to get all these children in a picture, at one time, without moving)

Thankful we drive past this house every day on our way home.

They are SO decked out for the holidays.

Puts me in a festive spirit.

Love it. 

:)

I am going to be so sick when I come home to cold weather 

in Cleveland for Christmas.

But it's okay,

I am so excited to see my family

and friends

and sisters.

:)

Thankful for this weather.

Washed cars and read a book outside today..

in November.

This is nuts.

This is my life.

Because I love them :)

A little Thanksgiving surprise for my family,

while they were over my uncle's for Thanksgiving dinner.

:)

thankful

Thankful.

For the sun in the sky, that brings warmth to my skin

For grace to endure every circumstance I'm in.

For love, and laughter, and those I call friend

For each new beginning that comes from an end.

For a family who loves me despite all my flaws,

For the ability to read, to write and to draw

For this town I'm in, Immokalee,

For the life that I'm given, and a spirit that's free.

For each struggle, each fear and each injury caused,

For the ability to take time to reflect and to pause,

On the life that I'm given, and it's purpose for me,

To be the best person that I can be.

For mercy, forgiveness, and the best kind of love,

That is constant, unconditional, and sent from above.

For a faith that moves mountains, and refreshes my heart,

For each new day, bringing a fresh, clean start.

I am thankful.

Pace Thanksgiving Feast :)

11-20-12

School of the Americas Vigil/Protest 2012

"Just down the road here is the School of the Americas. It's a combat school. Most of the courses revolve around what they call "counter-insurgency warfare." Who are the "insurgents?" We have to ask that question. They are the poor. They are the people in Latin America who call for reform. They are the landless peasants who are hungry. They are health care workers, human rights advocates, labor organizers. They become the insurgents. They are seen as "the enemy." They are those who become the targets of those who learn their lessons at the School of the Americas."

-Fr. Roy Bourgeois

This past weekend, November 16-18, I traveled to Fort Benning, Georgia for the School of Americas Vigil/Protest, put on by the School of the Americas Watch (SOAW). 

It was the 23rd anniversary of the massacre in El Salvador in which 6 Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter, were murdered on November 16, 1989. The majority of their murderers were trained at the School of the Americas, here in the United States.

I remember learning about this in 2007, when I went to El Salvador. I visited the spot where these Jesuits were killed. I stood on the ground, the same ground, just feet away from where their lives were taken. That is where I first learned of the evil of the SOA.

The School of America trains military from all over Latin America.

Too many times, graduates of the SOA go back to their countries, and carry out horrific crimes, and torture and murder many innocent people, their own people.

So many innocent human lives have been lost because of the tactics and methods taught at 

the School of the Americas.

Some of the countries affected by the SOA are Colombia, Venezuela, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, to name a few.

It sickens me that these assassins are being trained...on our soil. 

The most moving part of the protest was the funeral/vigil, in which each name was called out of those victimized by SOA graduates...as each name was called out, everyone called out "Presente" and lifted up a white cross with the name of an innocent life lost on it, their age, and their country.

We made our way to the gates of Fort Benning, where we placed the crosses in the gates. (Photos can be seen in the video above).

It was a great time for reflection for me, as I sat there for a good while as people cleared out...looking at the crosses, the names, the ages...

Thinking of the terror, the trauma, the fear, the torture.. that these people and their families faced..

Imagining if it were me..and I lost my family members...

It makes me sick, the evil that exists in this world.

And it makes me sick that such a place exists.

It makes me more passionate to stand up to injustice.

And to be a voice for the voiceless.

And protect the sanctity of each and every human life.

God Bless America.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is quick approaching, and I have much to be thankful for. At the top of my list is the experience I am having down here, with Pace, the Guadalupe Center, After-School Program, my community, and the work I've been able to be apart of to ally with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

During this time, we prepare to come together with family to enjoy a meal, in which we will stuff ourselves until we can eat no more, watch football, and fall asleep...

Let us not forget those who do the work (growing, planting, picking, harvesting), so that our stomach's may be filled. Let us not forget our farm workers.

Please take the time  to click this link, view this video, and sign the petition for Publix (a grocery chain in SW Florida) to sit down with the farmworkers of Immokalee, and sign on to Fair Food.

Publix has been resisting this for years, it's about time they come to the table.

http://www.change.org/petitions/publix-come-to-the-table-and-join-the-fair-food-program

happy birthday

Happy Birthday, Dad :)

Thank you for being so hardworking,

and such a  service-oriented man.                                                     

 Thank you for all the struggles and hardships 

you endure to provide for our family.                        

 I learned a lot about helping and saying "yes" to others, 

putting them first, from you.                        

 I love you.                                                                                                                           

                                                   
"So, like a forgotten fire, a childhood can always flare up again within us." ~Gaston Bachelard

the kind of days that make my soul happy

For those of you who know me, I am not a planner. 
I do not plan things.
Ever.
When I do plan, it is a very rare occasion, and usually a very uncomfortable experience for me.
I don't know, it's just not in me. I am more of a "go with the flow"type person. Take things as they come, wait until the very last minute to decide on things, etc. 

So.
Yesterday was one of those days where things just kind of started happening, ideas of what to do were formulated and then quickly implemented.

And it was awesome.


My roommates Vitina and Julie decided to go to Lake Trafford to paint, which was just such a beautiful idea, and if I could paint, I would have joined in that endevour. However, it was a beautiful day, and I could not pass up a journaling/reflecting/reading opportunity at the lake.

Vitina and Julie went ahead, and I waited on our friend Daniela. We got books and journals, and headed out a bit after. We parked ourselves on the dock, facing the lake, in the shade. I was ready to write, and Daniela was reading "If I Ran A Circus" by Dr. Seuss. (It was lying around our house, and for whatever reason, she decided to bring it along). I told her how I appreciated her reading Dr. Seuss, so she began to read it aloud, which was a beautiful reliving-my-childhood moment. I also thought it would spark my creativity as I prepared to write...

Instead, we attracted two young girls, who had come to the lake with their dad. They came up to us, and started listening to the book...Of course any people who were older in age, walked past us and looked at us like we were nuts, but the girls wanted in! So, we finished reading and they asked if we could read it again. I took upon this endeavour, and naturally my teacher instinct came out, and I had the girl read it, helping her sound out words, as she went. It was then that the girl said to me: "You're from Bookworm!" She caught me. She knew I was a teacher. She was in first grade, like I teach, but a different class. I pondered how she knew me, since I was hidden behind neon-green sunglasses.

But, she was right. :) How funny that her impression of teachers is now that they go read Dr. Seuss books at the lake on weekends. 

Daniela then brought up the idea of icecream, which naturally I was all about. So we told the girls we had to leave, but I let the girl borrow the book, having her promise she would bring it back on Monday (today-which she did). :) 

So , Daniela and I left, and decided that instead of neighborhood McDonalds icecream, we were going to venture out to Fort Myers, and while we were at it, we might as well go to the beach!  So, off we went. Stopped home, changed, got the wallets, keys, and headed out. It was a beautiful day, car windows rolled down, music blasting. A relaxing and fun day that we both needed, dearly.

We went to a place in Fort Myers called Love Boat icecream, or something like that. Best icecream I've ever had.

We made it to the beach to see the sunset, which was fantastic because I've been wanting to see the sunset at the ocean since I've been down here. It's almost been 3 months, and I finally got my wish.

After that, we came home, and Clarissa and I went to meet up with some friends to play volleyball at the park. Which I am SO excited this is becoming more of a regular thing as well, because I've totally wanted to play since I've been down here. However, I strained a muscle in my back, and so that kinda stinks. I've been heating it, icing it, resting it, and popping pills, so I should be back to normal soon.

Anyways, it was a fantastic day. So unplanned. So random. So good for the soul. So good. 

I believe planning has it's place, and some people find it really necessary, and heck-I'm sure I could benefit from time to time. But having each and  every minute of every hour of every day planned out is so unattractive to me. These random days of just up and doing things, going places simply because we want to...these are the days that make me smile the most. :)

Sunset at Fort Myers Beach

Love Boat Ice Cream

*Stay Tuned* There will be a blog coming soon about my thoughts on this picture, the adorable elderly couple over to the side, and love...

If you are an avid blog-reader...

Might I suggest you check out my future sister-in-law's blog?

She is such a beautiful person, inside and out, and has a true heart and passion for everything good, true, beautiful and of God.

She just started her blog, and you can already see the gift for writing that she has.

http://inventionofawriter.blogspot.com/

:)

"you're learning to socialize..by yourself"

I had the most wonderful weekend with my lovely friend and sister, Laura. That gem drove seven hours from Tallahassee to come see me. It was such a good weekend. She spoiled me rotten. I'm not good at accepting people's kindness and allowing myself to be treated...but she made me. :) We went to Sanibel Island, and enjoyed the beach. We got some delicious BBQ food at Island Cow, a great restaurant adorned with cows. We also had some delicious mango sangria there :) We went to Goodwill, a very expensive Goodwill, might I add. Never been to such an uppity thrift store. I got a lovely little blue and white polka dot dress out of it, though. We went to see Pitch Perfect, at this wacky little movie theater in Fort Myers Beach. It was an independent movie theater, but kinda looked like a tiny college lecture hall mixed with a cheap restaurant. Someone literally came up to ask us what we wanted to order. I loved the movie, it was fantastic. We got a Red Box movie, and some pizza and crazy bread to end our Saturday night. It was so nice being with her, catching up, and listening to her wisdom about all my life situations. I needed this weekend. It meant so much to be with her, and have her come all that way to be with me. It means so much to know who my real friends are. And I've been learning a TON of that while being down here. God has blessed me so much. My soul and my heart were so joyful this weekend. I feel refreshed. :)

it's the small things..

Reflecting on my past week, I just keep thinking of my dear 1st graders. I love kids. I do. I hope to have some one day. Lots and lots. But dealing with 21 of them on a daily basis is hard for sure, and a real test of patience. I just keep reminding myself to love these kids. Love them as much as I can. Be patient, listen to them, show them attention and care for them--it's what they need, and some of them don't get much attention at home-and are handed mom or dad's cell phone to play with and keep them occupied. (I know this happens all over, it happens in Ohio as well, but my work and my focus is right here, on  these kids). 

I had a particularly rough day last week. I had a lot going on internally and the kids not listening was just to much for me that day. When they are not lining up, or talking in line, I simply wait. I wait for them to do the right thing before we walk, or continue on to our next activity. I was really upset, at my whit's end, and the kids could pick up on this. One of them turned to the rest of the line to yell "she's SAD!" One girl came up to me and quietly said "I'm sad for you because you're sad". The next thing I know, 5 girls are hugging me, saying "I love you". 

At the end of the day, I usually sit the kids down on the carpet and we talk for about 10 minutes about the day, how they think I felt about their behavior, how they felt, what they think they did right/wrong, etc. I was standing up there, looking drained (because I was), and a little boy came up and gave me a piece of his Halloween candy, and said "this is for you". It was the sweetest. (No pun intended. Just kidding. Pun very much intended). 

I come to realize that even in my hardest days, there is always some good to be found. Yes, sometimes you have to look very VERY hard for it...but it's there. It's the small things that move my heart the most and bring it the most joy. A smile, an "I love you", kids fighting over who gets to hold your hand, little birthday cakes made out of sand, colored pictures, painted rocks, and never running out of hugs...these are all little blessings I am given every single day. I am thankful.

:)