Goodbye 2011

So I know I wrote one of these last year, but I also wanted to/felt the need to write one for this year.

Dear 2011,

Wow, the things we have seen this year! The year started off with a huge blessing! I was blessed with a full-time teaching job in SLC, UT. Coming in as a ninth grade teacher half way through the school year was rough, but pretty amazing. I learned things from those kids I was not planning on learning. And I definitely learned more about myself. Not to mention, I officially got rehired for the following school year! Life is good. :)

The Church reorganized the way singles wards are done and I got called to be the RS president. Not an easy task, might I add...but a complete blessing as well. I have enjoyed my time in that calling and the many opportunities I've had to serve those around me. Again, I have learned a LOT about myself.

The summer was a crazy whirlwind! I coached swimming and had a blast. My parents flew out and I went on a California vacation to Yosemite and Monteray and San Francisco. It was wonderful! Many memories and good times. Unfortunately, like last year, I experienced some heartache. A type of heartache I never even dreamed I would have to experience. And I came out on top! It was the hardest thing I have done up to this point in my life, and even though I would never wish this kind of thing on my worst enemy, I wouldn't take it back either. I have learned more about myself, the beauty of trials and suffering, and the beauty of mercy in the past five months, than I have in my whole life. My testimony is stronger and I know that I am much stronger! I can honestly say I have walked away from this experience a better person. I have gained a sense of gratitude for the things we all go through in life. I have gained a sense of compassion for others and I have a very much stronger sense of self. I can accomplish and live through anything.

My students this year are hysterical. They are a huge joy in my life and I am thankful for them every day. They have just been a blast and I look forward to seeing what the rest of the school year will bring. :)

I am home for Christmas. Words cannot express how much this trip home has meant for me. I needed this. I needed to be home in the place where I grew up, being around friends and family who have always offered love and support, and I feel completely rejuvenated having been here. It has been so good to be home.

So, at the close of this year, I close another chapter in my life and begin to start a new one. I am so excited to see what 2012 has to offer me. I know it will be full of highs and lows, good times and bad, but in everything there can be joy and gratitude. I truly feel as if I can take on the world. And this year, I plan to.

Goodbye, 2011. Thank you for everything you have taught me.

I'll Be Home For Christmas

A few months ago I experienced one of the hardest trials I have ever been through. Never in my life did I ever dream I would have to go through something like that, but I did. And for the past four months my heart has been aching to go home. I want to see my parents. I want to be in my "safe place" where I grew up and have unending support from old friends and family who I love dearly. I have wanted to be back in the south. I miss it! I've craved it. Just knowing that at this time tomorrow I will be stepping off a plane onto home soil makes me want to cry! And I know I will. :)

Don't get me wrong, Utah. I love you! And I look forward to coming back completely renewed and seeing what more you and 2012 have in store for me. I have learned so much and have been so blessed by my experiences here. I'm coming back, I promise! But right now, I just want to go home.

Random List of Facts and Feelings

Holy cow! Has it been awhile or what??? :)

Catch up:

-I love my students. They are a huge joy and light in my life.

-I am going home for Christmas. 20 days and counting down, ladies and gentlemen!

-I have fallen in love with two shows: How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory. Much love to Ted and Sheldon.

-I'm playing Mary Bailey in our ward Christmas play, "It's a Wonderful Life." This means a lot to me because this movie and I have a special connection. Really...we do. :)

-Tomorrow is Friday and I can not wait.

-On Saturday I have my first, full-fledged wedding/luncheon/reception photo shoot. I. am. very. very. nervous. Wish me luck!

- The bridals I did last week for the above stated wedding/luncheon/reception look AMAZING. If I say so myself.

-I'm going home for Christmas. Did I mention that already? ;)

-I have truly been blessed with amazing friends and family who have been extremely patient with me and who have seen and carried me through the past few months.

-I miss the sunshine and warmth of summer.

- I promise to be a better blogger.

Home on the Mind

Being Fall and all, I've had Georgia on my mind a lot lately. I miss it! I miss the bright colors everywhere and the high school football games and I miss the mall. Haha! So today I had a "Liz Day." I went shopping for a new outfit, bought a Pumpkin Spice Steamer from Starbucks (no coffee), a few books, and I got my hair trimmed because the ends were split and dead. Lol. So overall, it's been an awesome day. It has been so nice to have some time to myself. To just be. I know it sounds selfish, but sometimes those self fulfilling days are needed. I was feeling very homesick and today I had a day that made me feel very much at home. I don't know if that makes any sense, but it does to me. :)

So here's a song that I heard on the radio today that made me think of home and made me feel a little bit better.

Faith In Every Footstep

It's been a long time, Blogging World. Sorry about that. Sometimes life takes a pretty strong hold and it doesn't want to let go.

Summer was awesome. The beginning of the school year has been pretty good. I love my students. They are already pretty amazing and I know I'm going to have a good year with them. I am so excited! I just have a really good feeling that this is going to be a great year. So here we go, 7th and 8th graders! Let's rock this. ;)

On the flip side of awesomeness there have been some challenges. Well, one challenge to be specific. And I brought it upon myself. That's what I find to be so amazing about the Lord and the way He works. Even when we're not listening and trying to ignore Him, He still finds a way to humble us enough so that we can listen. So that we WILL listen. And this time, I really didn't want to listen and I made life hard for myself. Then, when I finally listened and acted upon the things I felt and heard, life became so much easier and brighter. I had several people tell me, "Wow, Liz. You haven't been yourself for awhile, but tonight...you're back! Good to see you." Not even kidding. Several people have told me that. And everyday there are little affirmations that tell me I'm doing the right thing, right now. Everyday there is something that reminds me that the Lord is mindful of me, He loves me, and I need to put my trust in Him. Sometimes you have to step into the darkness to find the light. :)

President Joseph F. Smith said, "I firmly believe [that] the divine approval, blessing and favor of Almighty God … has guided the destiny of His people from the organization of the Church until the present … and guided us in our footsteps and in our journeyings into the tops of these mountains." Now, President Smith was speaking about the pioneers but I think this can also apply to us. Heavenly Father leads us and guides us into our own "mountains" sometimes. The road may be bumpy, the weather may be fierce, and the days may be dark. But eventually God leads us out of the mountains and into the valley where we will find rest. And if we give our will to Him and do our best to follow Him, He will lead us to amazing things.

And finally Elder M. Russell Ballard said, "Truly the Lord encourages us to walk in faith to the edge of the light and beyond—into the unknown. After the trial of our faith, He once again shines the light ahead of us, and our journey of faith in every footstep continues."

Summer Lovin', Having a Blast...

I'm not gonna lie, summer has been pretty good to me. Really good to me. And it's not over yet! Soon I'll head to a week long training and pre-planning and then life begins again at school. And I'm so excited! I'm not dreading the new school year at all. I am so excited to be back in the classroom and teaching. I'm ready for the routine again. Will I miss sleeping in? Ha. Duh! But I'm more excited to be back on a schedule and working.

Before the summer began, the Church completely reorganized how the YSA works in Utah. They created YSA stakes and new wards. Everything is on a much larger scale now. People were so worried, and I was so excited! And it has turned out to be a wonderful thing, especially for me. It has become a huge blessing in my life. Bigger than I thought it would be. :)

So my new ward is awesome and I have loved meeting and getting to know new people. Being the social butterfly that I am, it's been a lot of fun doing new things with those new people and I am starting to really love being in Utah. I've always remembered Utah summers from my childhood as being awesome, and trust me. They're still pretty much awesome. If only it would rain more...

And in those Utah summers you get to celebrate the 24th of July! Happy late Pioneer Day blogging world! I had a lot of fun this year. It, again, was pretty much amazing.

However, I am also pretty stoked for Fall. I LOVE the Fall. It's my favorite season and I cannot wait to see the beautiful colors the canyon has to offer in a few months. Please don't disappoint me, mountains. :)

Update

Hello blogging world! Long time, no write. My life has been very busy. The school year ended and now I'm into summer. Woo hoo! I'm enjoying life and sleeping in and being slightly lazy, but now I must do lesson plans. Yuck. But I'm really excited for this next year because 1. I will be teaching one full year and 2. I will 7th, 8th, and 9th grade (this sounds daunting, but I'm excited) and 3. I love teaching. Because I'm crazy. :)

I spent a week in California seeing Yosemite, the Sequoias, Hearst Castle, Monterey Bay and Cannery Row, Alcatraz, Pier 39, San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge (which is in fact orange), and then finally to Modesto to see my Aunt Jill. It was a very LONG but very FUN trip! Pictures to post soon. Or you can just check out my photography FB page, if you know where it is. I loved Alcatraz and San Francisco. I would live there if I ever got really stinkin' rich. But I probably never will. :)

And today ladies and gentlemen is the Fourth of July! Hooray for Independence! I love the Fourth of July. Yesterday I wore red, white, and blue to church (no, I did not look like an American flag) and enjoyed being patriotic. Today and volunteered and rode in the local city parade! It was so much fun! I just got to stand in the back of a truck and wave my arm to my hearts content and loved every minute of it. :) I saw a lot of my students which was weird, but fun. I just heard shouts from the crowd, "Miss Adams! MISS ADAMS!!!" It was fun.

So, off to grill and see fireworks I go! Have a happy Fourth!

Thank you, Mr. ENT!

Hooray for wonderful doctors that listen to you. :)

Honestly, I feel that if I had gone to a good doctor in February who would listen to me and my history with sinus nonsense, then I wouldn't still be sick. But thank heavens for the doctor today because he listened and is going to help me immensely! I can not wait.

So today my ENT told me that I have polyps in my nose. See here and here for more information. But essentially they're non cancerous (did you know you could get cancer in your nose???) and mainly annoying. They're like mowing the lawn. They'll come back, but you can "cut" them down and keep 'em in shape with medicine or surgery. I get to go back for a lovely CT scan later this month to see if that is necessary and if there's anything else in there we need to know about.

I'm just so excited because I'm finally getting answers! The other doctors I went to just wanted to get me out of the office and so didn't take the time. But now I feel like I have a doctor who is going to do what the profession requires. Take care of me. Hooray for being on the up-swing of feeling better!

Lately

I promise I'm a happy person! I was just frustrated last post. But things have been getting a lot better and school ends next week! Woo hoo! I am so excited. I am ready to break and re-cooperate. Reason being: I'm still sick. :( I've been sick since the middle of February. Three doctors, two anitbiotics, one steroid shot...and four months later I'm still Little Miss Sicky. So on Tuesday I'm headed to an ENT. Thank goodness! I am so excited, I can't even tell you! I just hope someone can figure out what's going on in my nose. That would be nice. :)

Other than being sicky and school ending, I just found out the other day that I will be teaching at the same school next year! I am so excited about this! It is such a relief to know I have another job for a year because I think the stress of not-knowing has added to the sickiness. So now I know! Hooray! I also just found out that my old roommate will be teaching at one of our sister schools! She'll be down the street from me! I am so excited! I cannot wait for Fall and for her to be here. There will be good times!

So not much lately, but I will keep you updated on life and what all the ENT tests say. See ya!

"Miss Adams, why are you so grumpy?" Because if you don't fight for your education, I will.

Ugh. I've been hearing this a lot lately. "Miss Adams, why are you so grumpy?" "Why are you mad all the time?" "What did 2nd period do to you now?" "Why have you stopped being the cool teacher?" "Are you mad?"

Ugh. Again, I've been hearing this a lot lately. Let me explain...

Teaching is not easy. It may look easy, but its not. Every single teacher in the history of education has said that the first year is the hardest. Most teachers quit after their first year. You just have to get back up on the horse, try again, and keep going. NOW... coming in the middle of the school year, following a teacher who had completely lost all drive and will power to do anything, AND teaching 150 ninth graders who want nothing more in life than to drive you crazy... now THAT'S hard.

Don't get me wrong. I love my students. I really do. People don't believe me, but I do. And a lot of them like me (or so they say...). Even my worst kid who drives me up the wall...I'll still fight for him/her. I'll still do everything in my power to help them succeed.

Classroom management is hard. Don't let anyone EVER tell you differently. Keeping control of a classroom, not leading by fear but rather by love and respect, and being able to keep a positive repoire with kids while disciplining them is hard. I have been met with opposition, help, respect, disrespect, you name it, these kids have thrown it at me. And I am so tired.

They push, and I push back. They pull, and I pull harder. I never knew how strong I was until I got this job. My principal told me the other day she didn't think I'd make it this long. Not because she thought I was a weak teacher, but because my classes have run out 3 other teachers before me. And then she asked me how I do it and all I could say was, "I'm the newbie who has idealistic fantasies about changing the world one kid at a time. I can't give up. I'd hate myself if I did."

And no matter how tired I am, I CAN'T give up. Every morning I wake up and go to school no matter how hard I know the day is going to be. And even though it's hard, I still love my job! I do! I can't deny that. Not everyday is a nightmare, only some every now and then. But whenever I have a bad day with the kids, I let it overshadow the good days, which is something I need to work on.

Anyway, back to the title of this blog. What these kids don't understand is that I'm not mad or grumpy or angry...I'm frustrated. There is a huge amount of apathy in the kids of today, and everyday I get frustrated with the lack of trying. When grades were due, I stayed after school for 3 hours grading last minute make-up work just so I could get their grades up. I was even changing grades in a frenzy on Monday morning just to raise one kid's grade from a A- to an A. Because that little bit of difference makes a huge difference to some of them. And then you have the kids who just don't care after I've given them ample of opportunities to raise their grade. Why won't you fight for yourself?

Now I'm not trying to say, "Oh hey, look at me, I'm an amazing teacher," because I'm not. Far from it. I just needed the space to vent. Like I said before though, I love my job and I love my kids. Everyday I wake up and thank Heavenly Father for giving me this opportunity. And everyday I thank Him for giving me the strength and love needed to do this job. You just never know how much the Lord has given you until you stop and look back at your blessings. And He has given me a lot. Therefore, I too must give. I MUST give my all. I MUST care. Not only MUST I, I WANT to.

Life in the UT, baby!

What can I say? I love living in Utah. I am having a blast and I feel so incredibly blessed and happy to be here. So much fun!

For starters, I live with my Aunt, Uncle, and Grandma. It has been a lot of fun to live with family and we have such a good time. Soon I'll be moving in with my friend, and co-worker, Kathrin, and I'm excited to do that as well!

Teaching is so much fun. Even on days when my kids have been down right rotten and hooligans from Hell, I still love it and want to come back the next day. That's when I knew I loved my job. :)

OK, so maybe they're not hooligans from Hell, but they can be pretty bad sometimes. I still am growing to love them. I do miss my Vegas kids like crazy though...

I'm a swim coach! What can I say? I AM LIVING MY DREAM! Ever since high school I have wanted to be a teacher and swim coach. And now... I am! I coach for a year-round club team and again, I am having a blast!

My singles ward is small, but awesome none the less and I have made a lot of new friends there. They are so welcoming and kind! I had a hard time with the singles ward scene back home. Straight up, I didn't go. I knew I wasn't wanted, so why waste my time? But here, oh my gosh. SUCH a difference! I love my new ward and it's pretty awesome.

All in all, I just feel so happy. I really am happy here. I am also happy to be able to go visit home during my Spring Break in April! That'll be fun. :)

Thanks for having me, Utah!

New Blog Name Based on My Decisions of Idiocy

So, I'm thinking of changing my blog name to "I'm Having Delusions of Grandeur Idiocy..." Honestly. I really am. Because it seems as if everything I do lately revolves around stupid decisions I make. So, I made the dumb blizzard mistake (see "Good Samaritan" blog) and now I have made another one. Granted, it was also part accident. But if I was being smart, I wouldn't have the problem I am now dealing with.

Friday night my dad and I stopped at a hotel in Wyoming on our way to Salt Lake. The next morning when I was taking a shower I realized the shampoo and conditioner was on the sink...not in the shower. So, instead of turning off the water and stepping on the towel, as to not get water on the floor, I decided to leave the water on, and try to sneakily (sp?) step onto the towel without getting water on the floor. BIG mistake. And I mean, BIG. I stepped out and slipped. Not only did I slip...I slipped, hit my back on the edge of the toilet seat, and then hit the floor. I rolled onto my hands and knees and then the pain and panic set in. Next thing I know, I'm crying and I can't stand up.

I managed to throw on some clothes and opened the door. I crawled to the hotel bed and laid there for about half and hour while my dad decided what to do and refigured the packing in the car so I could lay down and make it to the hospital/Salt Lake. After 30 minutes I was able to stand and "shuffle." We drove all the way to Salt Lake and there I went to Emergency Care. Luckily, the doctor said, I didn't break anything. But he said I mutilated my muscles. "You took a hit and you took it hard."

So, I've been on a few meds and have been resting a lot. I am a million times better than yesterday, there is no need to freak out, and really...I'm doing great. A lot, a lot, a lot better. But I know several people have been asking about it because my loving sister felt the need to ask EVERYONE to pray for me. Lol. I love her. :)

But as I said earlier, my dumb decisions of idiocy. Is it time for a blog name change? I think so. If it's not one thing, it's something else.

Like Father, Like Daughter...All the Way to Utah!

Tomorrow morning at 6 am another journey across the country will begin! I am packed, the tank is full, got my Dasani ready (this is a Liz tradition), got my map (That's right. No GPS. An actual map.), and I am good to go! I have actually driven this route more times than I can remember. We've been taking it since I was 8. So needless to say, I know where I'm going, but my Dad and I like to quiz each other on the state capitals and nicknames and I can't do that without a map. Yes, we're nerds.

I love driving. I really do. I just find some kind of comfort in driving and I actually have this secret dream of being a stunt driver. Anyway...I am very excited to have my dad with me on this trip. I have made the trip by myself, with my sister and brother-in-law, with my friend Nichole, with my mom, and with my dad.

We have a lot of fun. My dad is a lot like me sometimes. We want to get there. No stops, just go. Get there. But sometimes we do like to stop and look at something or visit some place. My dad also likes to quiz me on my "film score" knowledge. Here's the story. Me and my dad both love film/movie scores. We love listening to instrumental music and his collection is insane! He has so much music from The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, that it would take a day or two to listen to all of it. It makes me insanely jealous. Every trip he'll make a new mix and play it in the car. And I have to guess what movie the song comes from or what the title of the song is. Then we rehash our favorite parts of the movie, favorite lines, etc. And then he gives me the mix.

We talk movies. Music. What it was like for him growing up. Stories from his mission (the BEST). College. He asks me questions about anything and everything. I love it.

We also very good, deep, gospel discussions. The plethora of knowledge my dad has about the church and the gospel is amazing to me. My dad hasn't always been a member. He joined the church when he was 19. But he can quote something from every single prophet and a lot of general authorities. He can tell you what the talk was called and when it was given. He knows the scriptures better than anyone I've ever met and when you ask him a gospel question, he can walk over to our "church bookshelf," pull a book from the 30 that are there, and flip to the exact page to find the answer. It never ceases to amaze me.

Most girls want to grow up to be like their moms. And I do, too. But I also want to grow up to be like my dad. If I can grow up to be like both of them, then I think I'll be happy.

All in all, I'm looking forward to this trip! And I am even more excited to see this...

and this...

and this...

Hang on, Utah! I'm coming!

No Longer in Limbo

"Who says God doesn't answer prayers? Because He does." - Iris Dunn

The amazing woman who gave the above quote is my grandmother. I love my cute, little, British grandma with all my heart and this is what she said when I gave her the news.

I am no longer in limbo. I have a job! And for this, I could not be more grateful. On Monday the 10th, I received a phone call from a certain school district in Salt Lake City, UT, asking if I was still interested in working for their district. YES, YES, YES! What they didn't know was that I was still in Georgia. They agreed to have an over-the-phone interview with me the coming Friday. I had my interview and felt very good about it. I felt that I could have done better, but that I did fairly well and was very excited to hear the outcome the following week. They said they would call "mid week" so I practiced exercising patience and waited. I was a wreck all Tuesday, Wednesday, and then finally on Thursday, let's be honest, I had just become a hot mess. My mom said she was afraid to ask me if they had called because I looked like I'd burst into tears at any second.

Friday came and I decided to have a late run on the tredmill. I had been jogging for about 25 minutes when I heard my phone ring. I looked down and didn't recognize the number, but I knew the area code! It was the school! Hallelujah! The principal called to extend me the offer of working with them at their school. And of course, I said yes. :)

I was completely overjoyed. I had been praying and hoping for so, so long to find a job. And I knew the possibilities of finding a teaching job MID YEAR were slim. Finding one out West, even slimmer. I almost couldn't believe it.

I called some family members to let them know and tell them the good news. When I talked to my grandma she was so excited! Mostly because this means I'm coming to live with her (haha!) but then she said, "And who says God doesn't answer prayers? Because He does."

Elder Richard G. Scott said, "Communication with our Father in Heaven is not a trivial matter. It is a sacred privilege. It is based upon unchanging principles. When we receive help from our Father in Heaven, it is in response to faith, obedience, and the proper use of agency...When we explain a problem and a proposed solution, sometimes He answers yes, sometimes no. Often He withholds an answer, not for lack of concern, but because He loves us—perfectly. He wants us to apply truths He has given us. For us to grow, we need to trust our ability to make correct decisions. We need to do what we feel is right. In time, He will answer. He will not fail us...He is your loving Father; you are His beloved child. He loves you perfectly and wants to help you."