Wouldn't that be great if this was the end of the blog?
But I guess I could think of something to write...
Emily got her mission call! Sao Palo Brazil west. My cocktail of emotions change everyday, but I am overwhelmingly proud of her. She is amazing. I have always looked up to her.
Kelly and I went camping for the first time since being married. Everything still smells like campfire. We've talked a lot about all the camping we want to do, but somehow we've always talked ourselves out of it. Not this time! Oh mama, did we camp!
I only have 2 months of school left! Driving home today, I practiced what speech I could give my students on our last day together. You know: real inspiring stuff. Be your self and whatnot. (and yes, I did cry as I gave my fake speech to the radio). I need them to know how much I care for them and how important it is to be nice to everyone. I don't even care if they remember the difference between there/their/they're if they end the year more accepting and positive than when they started. As I blabbered in my car over some Billie Holliday song, I realized that I am very wise, but far from eloquent.
In hopes that actions really are louder than words, I've tried very hard to develop a reputation of being positive all the time - even if they think I'm super annoying (and they do) in hopes that it will rub off. I really need them to know that it's okay to be different and for others to be different.
Recently, one of my old students took her life after being bullied because she was different. She came to see me just a day before and we had such a nice chat. We even talked about all the positive there was to focus on in life even when high school sucks; she had the most beautiful smile. As I've grieved, I have done what many do: thought, what could I have said or done to help her more? My heart compresses when I think about it.
The number 1 reason I became a teacher - aside from the fact that English was the only thing I liked - was to help these kids see the good parts of life and understand that even amongst all the bad, there is good. I always wished someone would have told me things like that when I was in school. I mean, my best friend was a cat for far too long. (Pictured below: Me and my BFF)
Aside from the inevitable darkness, life is insanely good.
I hope my students know that life gets better. I mean, look at me. I could go into lots of sappy details about how my insides used to be filled with tar, but how I've overcome and how much my heart has grown since being with Kelly and how he's the love of my life and how he reminds me of all the good in the world and makes me laugh and and and... I could even tell the story of when he taught me that it feels better to laugh than to cry - but I tell that story all the time - and I'll save the sap for another day. You're welcome.
If I was allowed, I would just show my students this talk and bare my testimony.
This talk speaks directly to my heart about what I've been rambling on about. And President Uchtdorf is just way more eloquent than I am.
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