Pretty

This week in the hall at school, there were a lot of children going to and fro in class lines.
I ended up walking next to one young class.

A little girl looked up and me and said something that I wasn't sure I heard correctly,
so I said, "Excuse me, I didn't hear you."

So she said.
"You're pretty."
"I think I look like you, don't you?"

I said, "Yes. I think we do look very much alike and you are pretty."

I said it mostly for her.
Because she was.
I wondered why I felt so strange saying what I said.

"Pretty is as pretty does."
That's one of the loops that's run through my head since I was very little.

I wanted to be pretty, so did pretty.
Sometimes I did ugly, but I felt horrible.
So I tried to not do ugly anymore.
It's not a bad goal to want to be pretty inside and out.

Along the way,
after all these years of practicing,
I stopped looking at the outside.

I started only seeing the inside.
And not only in me.

Then one day, when I was walking down the hall at school,
a little girl I didn't know said to me,
"I think you're pretty."

I guess it worked.

Verification - a gift

a little gift to you for you to see

hope it makes you smile

it sure made me

(especially how the pop up positioned itself right above that headline!)

I've been learning a lot lately and not having the time to choose to use to share with you is so very sad for me.
So I am going to take a few minutes before I go to bed to rest my weary head and let you know what is going on with me, the mrs.

I am working part time now.
Last week, the teacher I work with made a comment to one of the students (after one of the students suggested that I would not be happy with them and do/say something negative) that she seriously doubted that Mrs. the mrs., would be capable of that. That in fact, in the few weeks I've been working with her, she has not seen me not smile.

And I was amazed.
Because she was right.
I go to that little part time job that I found because I was in so much turmoil because the substitute thing was just not right for me and I was not smiling and I was not happy and I was not in a very good place because the plan I had for the beginning of the rest of my life when all my children were in school all day was not working out the way I had envisioned and I had to create a new vision but the vision was very blurry and my current situation was not working for me or my family and I prayed for help.

And my prayer was answered.
All the little details like hours, how it would effect home life, working better one on one or in small groups, my worries about being valued after being 'at home' for all these years, etc.
All were answered.
And I am in awe of our God.
And grateful.

Here's the catch- I am a wife & mom first. Then I have my church calling (job) responsibilities next. Then I have the time I spend during the day at the school. My hours and minutes fill up fast and I love it. But, it leaves little time for me to be here (or in the gym - a place I really need to get back to). I am working on finding balance. For instance, everyone has clean clothes for the coming week and we are having leftovers for dinner tomorrow. I am getting there. I am excited for time in the future months to see how I will make it all fit.

And I will smile.

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FYI - I am working at an elementary school in the town just north of us (not far at all). I am a Title 1 Reading Tutor. I have a name badge and even a desk (that I don't sit at much)! The days go fast, so I know I am enjoying it. I really believe this job was made just for me!

A Little Worn Out

These little shoes say it all.
At last Saturday's game, little mr. j's soles came loose.
It was hard for him to run and even after my mr. taped them up (again and again), he still ran a little awkwardly.

The last few month's my souls been a little loose. My glued expectations came off. We taped me up the best we could and I think I am becoming more comfortable.

little mr. j used his regular school shoes in tonight's game. They worked fine. His little team was seated 5th in their tournament and they ended up winning 3rd place.

my mr. taped me up. Helped me create an impressive resume from a life where I thought not much had been accomplished. Encouraged me and has been patient. I feel like I almost have my regular shoes on again.

Thank heavens!

I will be going to work tomorrow at a job perfectly suited to me and I will be back home to give hugs when school gets out, make sure the backpacks get cleaned out and put away, and take care of the dear souls I'm blessed to call family.
-------------------------------------
Ok, friends, this post is something new for me. I'm typing it on a smartphone and hope all turns out alright. Please let me know if you see anything wonky.

I write

but not lately.

Just wanted you to know that I have not fallen off the face of the earth.

Real life's just needed a lot of my attention.

I miss here.

I will be back.

Love,
the mrs.

Sunday School

Since I have been away, the snarky bugs have taken hold.
That and my computer is now mute.
Not deaf, just mute.
little mr. b asked me if I would like him to fix it.
I declined.
This poor machine has been through enough.
You have been warned.

For today's Sunday School, we are watching a video.
One that makes me laugh and laugh and laugh.
I especially love the second verse.
Have a beautiful day of rest.

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{{Hugs}} to my Tebow loving friends-

I do appreciate the faith, just not what the world has warped his outward expressions into.

(I hope I added the correct video.)

Oh Dear.

The computer wasn't the only one with a virus over the holidays.
I was gifted with one too.
And it was a doosey.
One week long high fever (and the pains that came with it) over Christmas was not a beautiful experience.
2011's holidays are a very sad memory for me.

And apparently along with the weakness I still feel, I am not alone.
Because there's a message at the top of the screen that's telling me my browser is no longer supported by Blogger. Whatever that means.
So I don't know if my computer is still not feeling it's best or if it lost something during it's stay at the computer doctor or what or if something in the Blogger world changed during our absence, but soon I hope to be feeling good enough to figure it out.

Till then - don't get sick.
It's not fun.

And

Happy New Year.

Sunday School Special & a note

Today we went to a branch (congregation way smaller than a ward) far away in Western Oklahoma. (Our stake - larger congregation made up of many wards & a couple of branches - is really big.)
We drove and drove and had a great time on our way there.
The boys deleted miss s's phone/toy battery at lightening speed on the way there.
my mr. and I had a nice two hour plus conversation with our other adult traveling companion.
miss h arrived home from college last night, so she came along.
She and miss s slept most of the way there.
(We left a little after 7am because we had to pick up our traveling companion. And there was a little confusion as to which street that traveling companion lived on, so we lost a little bit of time.)

When we got there right before 10am, I had something pressing to deal with - even though the meeting was about to start.

So I dealt with it.

And my mr. made faces at me when I came in during the opening hymn and didn't come sit with him and miss h and little mr. b at the front of the congregation. I chose to sit with the congregation with miss s and little mr. j because sometimes those two can really push each other's buttons and I didn't want any of that silliness during the meeting and probably really because I didn't want to sit up front and have people looking at me.

Anyway, I am glad I sat with my kids with the congregation.
I was kind of hoping that maybe because my son, my daughter, my husband, and our traveling companion were all speaking that maybe I could get out of it. But, when the man conducting the meeting announced the speakers and read my name I waved to let him know I was actually there.

I kept it short and because my talk was about living a Christ like life, I told my crazy gym lady/substitute teacher story and said that I was glad that I acted in a kind way. (And used some quotes from this wonderful message.)

All the other talks were awesome of course. Our traveling companion concluded the meeting by asking us to remember the first time we really, really felt the Spirit and told a wonderful story of a childhood Christmas when he first remembers feeling that wonderful thing.

But the part I liked best about the meeting was what happened next.  When he asked that question, little mr. j nodded his head yes. So I leaned over and asked him if he would tell me when he'd felt the Spirit.  He said, "Last Sunday at the Cantata."  (Last Sunday we attended our Stake's annual Cantata - an hour of inspiring music and words about Christmas.  There was also a huge display of over 600 nativities & a children's room where little mr. j got to make his own precious manger and baby Jesus with a styrofoam cup, crinkled up paper and a tiny piece of wood & fabric.) I could tell his heart was touched that night & we had talked about what that warm, peaceful feeling in his heart meant last Sunday. 

Then on a little notebook I had given him to draw in during the meeting, he wrote,

"I do not theke Flute crsmets .is .ubat santa it is ubat Jesus."

And I did not cry, but oh did  that sweet message warm my heart.
He knows.
He really knows, at his young age, what Christmas is really all about.


I asked him to please read me his note and he said,
"I do not think that Christmas is about Santa. It is about Jesus."
I'm so glad I sat in the congregation.


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Note: miss h is graciously letting me use her computer. (Thank you, miss h!) Mine is very, very ill. I am planning on taking it to the computer doctor tomorrow, but have no idea what the diagnosis will be. You might not be reading anything new here for a short while & sadly, I have fallen off the photo challenge. Hopefully my old machine and I will be back at it very soon. Thanks for your understanding!