Most Influential Educator

A couple of weeks ago I was assigned an essay, my first in about 10 years.  It was for my Ed 401 class, otherwise known as Elementary Methods.  It is a class that gets us thinking about what works and doesn't work in a classroom and how to make our classrooms successful, and also about our career as students and what impacted us the most.  The essay we were asked to write was a reflection on which of our teachers was most influential in our life.  This is what I wrote:

    Trying to pick one educator that has influenced me is a difficult task at best.  I’ve had so many people in my life that have “educated” me, not all of them professional teachers.  My grandfather lived with my family from the time I was 10 until I married and moved away at 19, and during those 9 years, he taught me truths that I will carry with me into eternity, and gave me personal lessons in American history.  My step dad taught me that love isn’t something than can be earned, only given and received, and that sharing blood has nothing to do with being family.  My kids have taught me diligence and patience and most of all, how to put others first.  These are all life lessons I‘ve learned, not taught by a professional.  But this paper is about a classroom teacher, and although I’ve had many through grade school, high school, and college that have impacted my quest for knowledge, there was one that truly impacted my life.  Her name was Mrs. Munger.
    Mrs. Munger was my third and fourth grade teacher.  I attended a very small elementary school located approximately a world away from town and smack dab in between two corn fields.  Of course, at the time I didn’t realize just how different our school was from town schools.  Forget about city schools, I didn’t even know they existed.  Our class was a combination classroom, third and fourth graders all together and there was no such thing as a “teacher’s aide.” During my third grade year I was in awe of Mrs. Munger.  She wasn’t mean or anything, she just demanded and held the respect of her students.  I tended to be somewhat of a social butterfly, something that hasn’t changed much, or so I’ve been told, and therefore had been moved as close to the teacher’s desk as possible.  I had also received countless “looks” and may have even been put into the hallway a time or two, but it was a long time ago, so who’s to say?  That was also the year my older sister was diagnosed with cancer.  My parents did the best they could to keep my life the same, but one or the other traveled across the country to be with her at the hospital in Seattle.  There were good days and sad days and days I wanted so badly to be with my sister.  Unfortunately, she passed away in April of that year and I didn’t have the chance to see her after Christmas.  Mrs. Munger helped me with my grief and some days she allowed me to stay inside her classroom during recess, she held me while I cried, and she loved me.
    My fourth grade year, well…things weren’t looking up.  My parents were talking about divorce and I asked Mrs. Munger what that was.  She called my parents and helped me understand.  Just before the year ended I had been packed up and moved to a new city, but I was allowed to finish out the year in Mrs. Munger’s class.  Somehow during those two years, despite the grief and the changes, she taught me.  She was able to prepare me with the knowledge I needed to succeed in school.  By the end of the year I was ready to move on to fifth grade in the city, I was able to laugh, I was excited for the adventure a new school would bring and ready to learn.  The last day I was in Mrs. Munger’s class she let me stay inside her classroom during recess, she held me while I cried, and she loved me.
    When I was in high school I went back to my old elementary school and Mrs. Munger was still in the same classroom.  She saw me pass her door and although it had been almost 8 years since I had last seen her she remembered me.  I will never forget the look on her face or the tears in her eyes.  Mrs. Munger wasn’t just a teacher that taught lessons about spelling or math.  She was a teacher that loved her students, including the social butterflies.

Henna Tattoo

Time Flies...

So I realized last night that it was Wednesday and I hadn't posted anything all week.  So much for getting more consistent with blogging.  Truth be told, I shouldn't even be doing it now.  I have a project due for my Methods in Elementary Ed class at 1pm and I haven't exactly started.  Unless of course you count the trip to the craft store to get the needed materials, because I did do that!  Hello.... a trip to the craft store?  I'm not about to procrastinate that!!  Anyway, here I am and I'm just going to give you a short, sweet version of what's been going on this week.  At least I'm going to try to make it short.... and sweet.

My sister and I have been trying the last month or so to get back on the exercise horse (figure of speech, not a piece of equipment).  We are each others accountability partner which is great because I don't want to let her down so it gets my booty out of bed at Odarkhundred and makes me MOVE!  We text each other what we are going to do that morning before we start and then afterward we text how we feel.  For me it makes a huge difference having that comradery (which is why I became a Beachbody coach, but that's another story).  Since Monday I have gotten up every morning and finished my workout before 7:15.  That gives me enough time to get my bath before I take the boys to school.  Today I noticed it was a little easier to get out of bed.  It usually takes about 2 weeks before I'm waking up before the alarm and jumping out of bed.  I am not there yet.

I had a quiz in my Human Biology class and totally flaked on one of the questions.  I was making it harder than it was and just totally missed it.  So I got an 80%.  Not horrible, but not what I wanted.  On a good note, I love the class.  It is AMAZING how the human body works, it just points over and over to the brilliant (such a inadequate human term) power of God.

I have been spending time working on my Beachbody business and I am loving that. The rest of my time is spent doing homework, loving on my boys and trying to keep up (and failing miserably) with housework.  Housework became less of a priority when I went back to school but I did finally clean the bathroom yesterday!  Sometimes a small victory can feel so HUGE!

Henna Saturday

I have always been fascinated with body art and truth be told I would probably have a tattoo by now if my husband was OK with it.  Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your viewpoint, he's not so down with the permanent nature of a traditional tattoo.  So I was very excited to hear about the henna event being held today at our local library.

All I really knew about henna was that it was a form of body art traditionally applied to brides in some of the Middle Eastern countries and that the tattoos were not permanent.  I had seen some pictures of henna tattoos online and thought they were beautiful.  The designs range from very simple to extraordinarily ornate, some have a more tribal influence while others are delicate and flowery.

Some of the history of henna I learned today included some of the bridal traditions.  In some countries, where the bride may not have met her future husband until they were taking their vows, the bride was tattooed all over her body, her hands, arms, feet and legs the day before she was wed.  And, somewhere in the tattoo the husbands initials were hidden.  The initials would have to be located by the new husband before the union could be consumated.  Can you imagine how intimately he would have to examine her?  Now that would make for some nervous brides!


Here in the United States henna is generally just a way to decorate the body with art without it being permanent and has been popularized primarily by Hollywood. 


I was a little bit nervous going to this event all by myself, I generally like to drag a friend along when doing something new.  But even so, I am glad that I went today.  I have become acquainted with one of the girls that works at the front desk of the library but never managed to get past the "What book should I read next" conversation.  It was fun to learn that she was a henna artist, where she was from, and what brought her to this small town we live in.  And, it was amazing to watch the application of the henna, the artistic talent is amazing.  I also enjoyed learning a little bit more about the history of this ancient form of body art.  Not to mention I think it is beautiful.

All of these pictures were taking during the application.  After an hour or so the paste dries and starts to flake off.  At that time you scrape the dried paste off (the glitter comes off then too).  What is left behind is a orangish looking stain.  Over the next 2 days the henna dye will oxidize and darken to a brownish color and the tattoo will last for 1-3 weeks depending on how much its washed or scrubbed.  I can't wait to see it in a few days once it darkens.  I will take a picture of it on Monday and post it so you can see what it looks like once its oxidized.

Favorite Friday!!

Alright, so it is almost 9pm and I am just getting to my Friday post, but PEOPLE... I am getting to my Friday Post!!  This is huge!!


So this week I am going to tell you about one of the finest pieces of technology I've ever had..... THE BLACKBERRY TOUR.

Now I have to admit that I had wanted one for quite a long time, but as a stay at home mom it just didn't seem like it was worth the expense.  I mean, what did I have to remember other than to take my oldest child to school everyday and the occasional doctors appointment.  And as far as needing to check my e-mail, well, I was at home, with the computer.  So although I wanted one, I didn't get one.  But, once I went back to work I found that I was forgetting EVERYTHING!  I was carrying around my day planner, but it didn't beep and send me a reminder.  And now that I am in school, and occasionally working, and making dates with friends and family, and having assigments due and e-mails to read, and please, do I even need to mention the TEXTING I decided to go ahead and get one.  Especially after seeing my sisters and what it could do.

I can chat with my sister via Text all the livelongday, I can get e-mail from my parents while they are in Florida, I get to see who is tweeting me and what they are tweeting about.  I can check my friends blogs no matter where I am.  I even get Facebook on my phone.  Not to mention the calendar feature which has saved myself from forgotten appointments I don't know how many times.  Or the task list, a personal favorite.  It allows you to set a due date for your projects and reminds me when they are almost due.  It has a memo pad which is where I keep my grocery lists, my yearly goals, a list of books I want to read.  And, it fits in my pocket or my purse. 

Obviously it is one of my favorite things.  I am sure that other smart phones have similar features and some of them might even be better than what Blackberry has to offer.  But I love the Blackberry Tour.

Do you have a smart phone you'd like to share about, blog about it and leave me a note in the comments.  I will definitely check it out.  Everyone has favorites, I'm sharing mine and I want to know yours.

Favorite Friday's

I've been wanting to update my blog for a while, change it to fit who I have become and to spice it up a little bit.  I think I was bored with the old one.... I'm a girl that likes change, what can I say.  As part of the whole changing of the blog thing I decided to start Favorite Friday (at least that's what I'm calling it, obviously snappy titles are not my forte).  Basically I am going to highlight one thing a week that I use regulary that I love.  It might be hairspray, toenail polish, my camera, whatever... Just something that I think makes my life a little easier or works a little better, or in the case of 4 inch heels... makes my calves appear skinnier.  It is just going to be a little something fun.  And, hopefully, it will guarantee at least one new post a week!