Christmas Warmth

I didn't know what to expect this year when my mother informed me that she would be comming in for Christmas this year. I was taken by suprise. "Mom, I have all ready invited Dad!" Knowing that my parents have been bitterly divorced for the past seventeen years I knew that inviting them to the same holiday would probably be a bad idea. Especially Christmas! Who wants all that disfunction during the one month of the year that is suppossed to be filled with laughter and mariment? "Oh." my mother said with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"mom, you know that I would love to have you here, it's just I don't know how this can all work out with Dad and everything."
" Britt, this is the only time that I can get off work to come and see you, Tim, and the grandkids. Besides, I don't know when I will ever see your brother again."
Wes! She is right he is going to be around too. I couldn't think of the last time that I saw my brother. Had it been six months, a year? If it had been that long for me, then it must have been at least two years for my mom. As a mom, I couldn't go that long without seeing my own precious boys, so my heart began to swell and I knew that I needed to do something.
"I'll talk to Dad, maybe we can figure something out."
"Thanks, Britt!"
I wish I could go into great detail about all the events that had since transpired from that phone call in August, but it is Christmas, and I have a family downstairs waiting for me! Grant has tears in his eyes.
"mom, why does it have to end? Why can't this feeling last forever?"
His words touch me.
"Son, it never has to end! It can last forever, if you want it too."
I report with joy that a Christmas miricale has taken place in my life this Christmas! It is never too late to tell the people you love how much you love them. Never too late to tell the ones that you hurt or wronged that you are sorry. Or mend what is broken in your life.
I never thought it possible that I for a few precious moments of my lifetime have back what I lost when I was twelve years old . My torn family has grived. We have all had our trials, our hardships, our losses. My mother and father through their own problems were able to put their differences aside and my mom saw my brother and I got to be with those I love the most during the best part of the year. I got to share in the bliss of bringing my family together. The one that was tattered and torn. I got to share these great people in my life with my husband and children. My heart was filled this year. I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas.
My love goes out to all of you! Let this time of year heal your heart. Tell the ones that you love how much they mean to you. Mend the relationships that have crumbled around you. Life is too short to shut out the ones that you love. If we can do it, so can all of you. Merry Christmas to all, and I hope that your heart can be filled with Christmas warmth and cheer.

Love What I do...

Sorry all my interested readers out there. (being facitious.) I know that I haven't posted anything in two months so... back by popular demand... Brittany's Blurbs! Here is what has been going on lately.

1. Student Teaching
2. Student Teaching
3. My 29th Birthday
4. Student Teaching
5. Writing Thesis
6. Student Teaching
7. Parenting
8. Home making
9. Student Teaching
10. Oh yeah, did I mention student teaching?

So as everyone can plainly see, I have been a very busy woman these past few weeks.
I looooooove teaching. It is the most rewarding career there is. I am doing my student teaching at Greenwood Elementary ,a school in the Alpine District, in American Fork, UT. I am in a second grade class with 21 students. My mentor teacher is an absolute saint and we get along perfectly. She is friendly, charismatic, and truly one of the best teacher's there is to learn from. She has taught me so much about how to be a great teacher. Every day in the classroom is a new adventure. I am in a second grade classroom. And I love it.
My students are wonderful. They have such eager minds and all of them mean so much to me. I love working with them and they truly work so very hard. They call me Mrs. D. and I love it. They are so special. Today, they threw me a suprise birthday party. They got me some balloons, and made me the most perfect little birthday cards. I am going to miss them dearly when I am done. We have grown so close.
On Tuesday, I will have full control of the class for the next four weeks. I am looking forward to it, but I know that it is going to be hard work as well. There will be lots of planing and I will be working long hours to keep everything running smoothly. However, I have some fun things planned as Halloween is right around the corner. I am excited.
I truly feel that I have picked the right profession. I don't think I could be happier doing anything else for a career. It is so rewarding to experience your student's learning from you. Being up there and teaching America's youth is something to be proud of. I love making a difference in these children's lives. Each one has a unique story. It is amazing how much these kids face in their day to day lives. Some come from very broken homes and hearning their stories makes me want to cry, but they are so tough and so resilient. I have all the faith in the world that if they continue to do what they are doing, then they will go far in life and my mentor teacher and I work hard to in still that confidence in them. In the end, that is what children are lacking these days, the ability to believe in themselves.
Anyway, I will try to be better about blogging more regularly to keep everyone updated on student teaching. Once again I feel sooo happy to be able to make a difference in the lives of children and feel sooo good about chosing this career route.

Some thoughts

Today was Sunday. We went to church. We have church from 1-4 and I really like it. It gives me more time. I am not a morning person. Especially when it comes to the weekends. It is really hard for me to pull myself out of bed early on a Sunday morning. I find that I am grumpy, scrambling around franticly to get myself ready, the children fed and ready, and all the other things that come with being a mother. I hate rushing. I also find that once I get to church I am not in a very "spiritual" mood which dampers the whole experience. Now it is really nice to just take my time and I do come to church more relaxed and calm.
Tim and I like are new ward. It is very down to earth and everyone has been very friendly and excepting to us. We have been hear a month now and the kids have all ready made lots of friends and have been invited to lots of social events. That is important to me that they make friends and feel comfortable in ward. I just got sustained to be on the personal home and enrichment commitee and I coulnd't be more elated. I ALWAYS GET CALLED TO BE IN PRIMARY and while I have loved every second of it,it is nice that I get to do something new and with the Relief Society sisters.
We had a very good gospel doctrine lesson on "Being a modern day Korihor (?)" which led into some great discussions.
For those of you who don't know, I have been struggling lately with my testimony. Most of my friends and family have known this and have been very supportive of me and we have talked many times about some of the things that I have been dealing with. I guess I have just become more skeptical and more questioning. What it boils down to is that I love some of the teachings of the church and others I don't. I used to love to go to the general relief society meetings every year and hear the relief society presidency talk, but after the last October general conference address, I just lost interest. What was said crushed me in so many ways and I begin to question my ties to this organization. Anyway, I have started to find my way back in some respects, not all, but most and I am starting to overcome. I would like to get back to the temple soon, I miss it. My strongest periods of growth and understanding came when I was regulary attending the temple. My problem isn't really with the chruch as a whole, but more with certain individuals who are members of the church, and until I can get over it, I feel the last place that I need to be is the temple. It is not that I am angry, just disappointed. Ashamed at the way people behave and the attitudes that are so common. Nobody has ever attacked me personaly (to my face) but I see it and hear it a lot and I am bothered by it. Case and point, nine years ago walking into a relief society room would send me into a near panic attack. Not that anyone was ever mean or cruel to me, its just that I was not the perfect LDS woman. I knew that. People were kind, but nobody went out of their way to be my friend. I was the girl that the mothers of the young women said "you don't want to end up like sister Donaldson." Fair is fair. I can understand the reservation, but today things are different. Now, all anybody wants to know is " what my husband does for a living, and if I give them the right answere, the one that warrants respect, I am in the in crowd. People want to be my friend. They want to get the kids together for play dates, they want to have the kids over for sleepovers and birthday parties. Tim will get a good "leadership" calling and all of a sudden, things will perfect in my LDS world. However, what of the girl who sits in the back row. You know the one. The one who doesn't have the cutest dress on. The one who's haircut is a little out to date and is so young, and sooo pregnant, but just newly wed? What of her? What is her life like in relief society? Who is her friend? Are people inviting her out for play dates and social activities? I cringe. Because I have seen this far to often in my nine years of being a member. Ward after ward, place after place. It has affected me for good and bad, and my ultimate question has become "are we turning into modern day Korihors." Are we being the ultimate Anti-Chirst in our behaviors to those who don't fit our mold of "perfection?" We aren't being christ like, that is for sure. It is a problem that has become rampent and I have heard such ugly, snide, things in my meetings, that I had to step back and think about what I was doing.
Anyway, things are better now. I have realized that I can extend a hand of friendship to all and I will. No longer will I be afraid to sit down next to the sister that everyone shuns for being imperfect, because I am imperfect too. And that is what it is about.

Summer time blues

Well... it is about time again. The end of summer and the start of a new school year. I have been trying to get the boys back on their nightly routine. So far... it has been kind of a challenge. Give them and inch, they go a mile!!! Our routine last year was... home from school, snack, one hour of free time, homework, dinner, bath/shower, brush teeth, lay out clothes, find backpack, and one hour of reading. 30 min with a parent, and 30 min alone. Reading was followed by family prayer and then lights out at 8:30. This summer, I wasn't so adment that they follow a rigorous routine and I eased up and let them kind of plan how they spent their time. However, cleaning rituals were still mandatory in my book.
I thought that getting them back on track wouldn't be so bad if we started at least two weeks before school started but these rascles are bucking the system. For instance, by some "mysterious cause" the nightly " Mom, I am thirsty, I need to get a drink" doesn't strike until gee whiz " lights out time." And the " I need to go to the bathroom "occurs maybe 10 or 15 minutes after they have had their drink. It is like they figured out the way the whole system works. " Maybe if I fill up real full and real fast... " So.. I have decided to throw a little curve ball at them. Instead of 8:30 bed time this year, I will give them an extra hour and I will add a slot in there somewhere when they can take care of their thirst needs. I have also added more time for dinner because it allows us more time together to talk and reflect about our day with one another. I am adament about the whole family dinner thing. We set the table and sit down together at the table every night. Grant sets the table, Ben clears the table and they alternate the wiping down of the table and counter tops. This year, they will also be doing dinner dishes. Grant said that he wanted to start doing them, so I will gladly step down and give him a permotion. Will see how long that lasts.
In other news, the boys and I went to register them for school today. It is a darling school! The school is called " Poney Express Elementary" and it is built like and old school house. It is so cute. I love it. The boys on the other hand were complaining that the name was way "too girlie," and they were not thrilled about that. We walked the four miles (two there and two back) and had a good time talking about the upcoming year. For being good sports, we stoped at the gas station on the way back and they got a drink and a snack. It was much needed because it was REALLY hot. By the way, I love to walk, so it was great to get some excersise. The boys and I were worn out when we got back.
Right now, it is cloudy and I think that we are going to have a thunderstorm. I was going to bbq tonight, but I should come up with a different plan. The weather shifts so fast out here. It was sunny earlier.

Breaking Dawn

So.. alot of my friends have been practicly begging me to start reading the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. Mind you... I am very particular about what books I will read and will not read. Everywhere I go, I see people reading these books. Mainly women my age and a little older. I finally started reading Twlight back in June and I must confess that I wasn't able to put the darn book down!! Tim would tease me about it everyday because it would go with me eveywhere I went, the park, the pool, trips, car rides. I finished all three books in a week and each book is like 600 plus pages. Mind you, these books are for teenagers and they are easy to read, but I am person who doesn't like to breeze through. I like to take my time, absorb them. However, you can't do that with the Twilight books because they grab you and pull you in. So... needless to say, I was pretty bumed out when I finished the three books and I had to wait almost two months for Breaking Dawn. When Breaking Dawn finally did come out, I was thrilled. I am not one of those obsessive fans who like pre-ordered their book five months ago, but I must confess that I did get my copy of the book on its release date. I hadn't planed on going to any of the parties or anything but one thing led to another... and viola there I was standing in line in the Sandy Wal-mart at 12:15 at night.
It is really funny how these turn of events took place. We started the evening by picking up my father from his Salt Lake office ( he lives in LA but has to come to Utah a lot for business) and dropping him and the boys off at the airport to pick up my dad's rental car. Tim and I had a wedding reception to go to in Bountiful and we didn't want to take the children with us, so my dad opted to watch the boys for us and take them to a movie. Tim and I headed to the reception and getting to Bountiful an hour early, we had some time to kill. We went to Barnes and Noble and looked around for awhile. You could tell that they were getting ready for the big kick-off. I was kind of chuckling to myself a little bit because I thought it was a little funny how people were getting so hyped up about this book .They had red, and black balloones everywhere, cake, punch, and streamers. A women was sitting at a little table and people were swarming over to her to pre-order thier copy of Breaking Dawn. Anyway, life went foward and Tim and I left to head to the reception. In LDS culture, receptions typically don't last very long. You greet the bride and groom, comment on how cute they look, and grab some finger foods. Tim and I were in and out in 30 min. Sooo.. the question became "What do we do now?" We couldn't just go home and waste the free babysitting! That would be kind of lame. We had seen many of the movies that were out... we had all ready eaten earlier so dinner was out of the question, a lot of our friends were either out of town or doing the same thing we were, having a date night.... so we drove around brainstorming about what to do. Finally, we caved and I dragged him to see "Mama Mia" at Thanksgiving Point. My dad had a hotel room at the Marriot and he was going to take the boys back there to swim when there movie was done, so we figured that it would be easy to just pick them up there and head home after the movie. I guess fate had a different plan. When the film was over, my dad called and said that he would just keep the boys in his room for the night and that we could pick them up in the morning. Since it was all ready midnight and the kids were asleep, Tim and I agreed to that arangement and decided to head home. On the way to the car, Tim suggested that we go to Barnes and Noble and he would get me a copy of Breaking Dawn. I figured, why not, we are out... the kids are taken care of... lets do it! We pulled into the Sandy Barnes and Noble at about 12:30 thinking we could dash in and dash out!!! Wrong! It was mass pandamonium and choas. I looked at Tim and said " this isn't worth it to me, let's just go, I can get it another time." However, Tim being Tim said "No, we are here, we are going to do this, let's see what is happening at Wal-Mart."
"Good idea, I said, but if it is packed with people, we are going home." We get to Wal-mart at about 12:45 and people are streaming in and out with their plastic Wal-mart bags and through the plastic, you could see the familiar red and black colors of the book jacket. Obviously we were not original in our thinking. We dashed over to electronics were the sighns directed us to go and thinking that we would be waiting in line for an hour decided that we should just scope it out first. Lucky for us, we were in and out in 20 mins, and I had my copy of Breaking Dawn.
For all you Stephenie Meyer fans, it was worth it. This book is her best.

So much to say, so little time...

Okay, the blog thing is lagging a bit. What can I say, I have been busy having the time of my life with my wonderful boys and finding time to sit down at the computer has been pushed down low on the priority list. Sorry for all of you "so interested" readers out there.
Lots of things have been going on in "el casa Donaldson" of late. Some of you may not know that we had to leave are beloved Suncrest in early July. The owners asked us if we would be willling to move out a month early because they wanted to put the house on the market. Tim and I knew that the day would come. We had a crazy winter up there and while we loved it, we knew we needed to leave for practicle reassons. So what do we do??? Pack up and move to Eagle Mountain!!! So may say "How practicle is that?" Well, I must say, not much, but we LOVE our new home. It is PERFECT for our family. I have learned the value of the terms " custom built, with tons of upgrades!!!" Our other place was much too big for us. We had two vaccant bedrooms in the basement and we wanted something that was more accomodating to our family of four. Even though we downsized in space, the house is positivly perfect for us. I will post some pictures of it as soon as I find the memory cards for our camera.
For all of you golfers out there, we back right on to a golf course so "Y'all come on down!" The kids are adjusting very well. We thought that they would have a difficult time transitioning because they had a lot of good friends in Suncrest, but they are meeting TONS of new friends and they still keep in touch with their ole Suncrest pals. One of the neet things about living in "Highlands on the Green" (that is the name of our subdivision) is that we have our own private community pool . It is literally less then a block away and the kids and I go swimming almost everyday. They are little fish and I must say that my suntan is getting better everyday. A lot of the neighborhood moms come with their children and we have a good time talking and letting the kids play. I truly love it here.
In other news, Ben just turned eight on the first. My dad flew out and we had a family birthday party with my dad, and Marge and Douge. We had a lot of fun. Ben loves Indiana Jones and so he got a lot of Indian Jones stuff. Grandma Marge and Grandpa Doug got Ben an awesome Indianna Jones action figure, a really cool hummer thing that Indy rides in, and a new spidy swim suite. I got Ben Lego Starwars the complete Saga for Wii and the Lego Indian Jones Kingdom of the Crystal skull set. He loves legos!! Tim got Ben the Lego Indianna Jones game for Wii and five new chapter books. (Ben loves to read, especially chapter books) Gampy (my dad) bought Ben an awesome new scooter and helmet. Ben has a razor and is soooo good on it. He has now graduated to an Xcelerator which has a pedal on the back that propels you foward. Ben is doing awesome on it. Pretty soon he will be graduating to skate and surfboards... where does the time go??? Grant was a good sport about Ben's birthday. And the two of them have loved playing the new Will games and building the legos. Ben will be having his first "sleepover" party in a few weeks, and he will be getting baptized during the first part of September. We are really happy for him and he is very excited about it. He will also be starting scouts soon.
School is starting on the 18th and the boys and I have been busy getting ready for it. They have been working hard all summer on their Math and reading and I feel that they are going to go into the school year with a leg up. I start student teaching at the end of the month and I have been pretty nervous about it, but also very excited. I will be done in December and no more schooling unless I want to get my PHd, but that won't be anytime soon. I am going to slow down for a bit and enjoy my career.
Any who, that is all for now, I promised Tim I would watch 3 10 to Yuma with Tim since I drug him to Mama Mia on Friday!

Summer craziness

Wow, I can't believe that is has been a month since I last posted. Time sure flies. Tim and I had a fantastic and very relaxing trip to Colorado and since he has posted the pictures from our trip, you can go to his blog to see what we did.
Today is rainy and cold. We are having unusual weather for Utah in June. We have had a lot of rain and snow this year and yes while it is good for the draught that we have been in these past few years, I can honestly say that I am ready for some summer heat and sunshine! However, living up in Suncrest, you don't get the summer heat that you get in the valley which I know I will appreciate later.
Ben and Grant have officially been out of school for three days now and so far everyone is having a great time. I have been keeping the kids rather busy and entertained. I am kind of a mean mom in that I have been making them do an hour of school each day. Research has indicated that children loose two to three months of progress in reading and math over the summer. Math has been challenging to Ben and so we are doing fun activities so that he can better understand what he is having trouble with as well as reviewing things that he all ready knows. Grant is participating aswell but he suffers in handwriting so that is his big hurdle. As far as reading goes, they are both fantastic readers and are well above grade level. Anyway, those of you with children, here are a few link that may be helpful to you while working with your children this summer. These are free, online, educational, games that so far my kids have loved.

www.funbrain.com

www.coolmath4kids.com

www.factmonster.com

http:// nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/grade_g_1.htm

www.aplusmath.com

www.aaaknow.com/grade2.htm:

Enjoy!!!!

Another Long Walk

This is Lone Peak from behind. We walked the 2 mile walk home :). Maisy was exhausted at this point but I still could have kept going. Wink, wink...

Hey, look it's the Suncrest Market!!!

This is the cute little market by our house and were the bus stop lets the kids off. Grant and I had a nice little picnic lunch at the park this afternoon and we went to this market to get sandwhiches.

Our Street, that is Utah Lake. On one side you can see Provo, on the other side you can see SLC

This is my DREAM HOUSE. It is for sale. Tim and I have been inside it for an Open House and it was incredible!!! Who knows, maybe when Tim gets his raise in July... probably not likely, but we all can dream.

This is the view from my dream house. Pretty nice!

This is the back of my dream house. The deck at the very top is part of the master suite. How nice would it be to wake up in the morning and step out on your own private deck!

This is another incredible view of Utah Lake and Utah Valley

Today, it was a lovely day up here in Suncrest. The weather was perfect and mild. I decided to walk to the bus stop were Grant gets off the bus. It is probably 2-4 miles depending on the direction you take. I decided to go the long way today with Maisy. I took a few pictues along the way. I am reminded how fortunate we are to live in such a nice place. Even in the winter life up here is good.

Birthday Party

Grant on our way home from church

My niece Krya the actress!!!

Callie

Brynn and Andrea

On Sunday we had our Donaldson/ Lythgoe birthday celebration. Since we have a few birthdays in April and May, we decided that it would be fun to combine them. Doug's, Brynn's and Darrin's birthdays are in April, and Grant's is in May. Tim and I decided to have everyone up on Sunday for dinner. It was fun. We BBQ'd hotdogs and hamburgers, had cake, and talked for awhile. It was definatly great seeing the Lythgoes again. I love seeing the girls. They keep getting bigger each time I see them and they are so fun to get to know. Kyra is a wonderful big sister, Callie is so sweet and smart, and Brynn is so cute and creative. I love her fire hydrant obsession. They are great girls and Andrea and Darrin are both really fun to talk to. It was a fun Sunday!!!

My Walk with Maisy

At Tanner Park about 9:30 a.m

Don't let her innocent face fool you!!!

One of my favorite places in Salt Lake

Bridge to Tarabithia

At this point, I needed to go to the bathroom so we didn't linger here long.

New Camera

For our anniversary this year, Tim and I bought ourselves a new camera to take on our honneymoon trip to Ouray, Colorado. We will be staying in a very luxerious bed and breafast in the honeymoon suite. Even though we have been married for eight years, we have never really had the chance to go on a vacation and call it our honeymoon. Now that he had built up vaction time and I am done with classes, we are going to take a five day trip. Marge and Doug are going to come our house and watch the kids while we are gone so we are greatful for their help. They truly are wonderful grandparents. My kids have been so blessed to have such wonderful grandparents on both sides. Tim and I are also very lucky. Anyway, enought of the rambling, and check out some of the pictues that I have taken !!!!

Students soak up many wonders of Great Salt Lake
By Wendy Leonard, Deseret News
Published: April 19, 2008

The salty and sometimes stinky Great Salt Lake became umpteen times more interesting to a couple dozen North Star Elementary School students and about 13 Westminster College graduate students who just completed experiments on one of the state's wonders.
"It's an incredible and unique ecosystem out there that is so unappreciated in the state," said Carolyn Jenkins, professor of Westminster's Elementary Science Methods course. "Most people only know it smells."
As part of a continued collaborative effort by Westminster College, more than a dozen graduate students, all hoping to become teachers, worked with 29 fourth-graders to answer some innovative questions concerning the Great Salt Lake, "to help them gain an appreciation for that wonderful body of water," Jenkins said.
Using scientific experimentation, students answered questions concerning the life-span of brine shrimp, salt water and sand temperatures, salinity, rocks and sand that form from waste, salt crystallization and much more. For most of the students, their favorite part was not visiting the lake in early March but working through the questions and determining how their hypotheses affect everyday life.
"It would take 10 years for the Great Salt Lake to freeze, and the temperature would have to be below freezing for a long time," said Owen Lopez, 9. He said human sweat also contains salt, which helps regulate body temperature. He said learning the hands-on way is "way better than reading a book."
The semesterlong project included two field trips to the Great Salt Lake to provide the Title I school kids experience dealing with practical science and high-tech scientific equipment, property of Westminster. The grad students gained experience in working directly with youths, "learning how they learn," said Brittany Donaldson, originally from Texas.
"They were very into what we were doing," she said. "It was neat seeing them connect it to their lives and building upon what we already knew." The direct focus and individualized attention is unusual for a public school setting.
"We don't have that at our school," said North Star fourth-grade teacher Terry Olsen. "I couldn't keep them in their seats as we started crossing the causeway." The individual attention Westminster's students gave the fourth-graders and the engaging equipment, he said, "changed the way they look at science and the Great Salt Lake."
The massive body of salty water, Olsen said, fits directly into North Star's social studies curriculum, in addition to the scientific study of Utah's forestry, desert and wetlands.
"We went into the water with boots. It wasn't blue, it was all white," said 10-year-old Easter Simbe. She discovered that the water and salt evaporates into the air, making it cooler very quickly. "It's a lot of fun to learn about new stuff," she said.
"Now we know not to live on the shores of the Great Salt Lake," said Jodi Anderson, a Westminster grad student who assisted Simbe and science partner Aylin Gutierrez.
The myriad discoveries were presented via student-made posters that lined the hallway at Westminster's Malouf Hall on Wednesday.
"They don't know it but we had as much fun as they did" learning about the Great Salt Lake, Anderson said. "It's a huge part of our state, and people take it for granted."
E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com

March 24, 2008

Today was out departure out of Salt Lake City. We headed out about 7:15 am to Phoenix. From Phoenix we flew into Mexico City. From the plane, Mexico City looked a lot like Southern California. It is a huge city and I never realized it. It was very green and certainly nice to see trees again. The airport was interesting. It was really big and busy with a lot of people running around to get where they needed to go. I felt confused and slightly out of place not knowing how to speak Spanish. McDonalds threw me for a loop. I was a total Gringo and didn’t get something local. I am kicking myself for it now. The car ride to Cemal was bumpy and maybe a little nauseating but all the while it was scenic and incredible. The weather couldn’t have been any more perfect. It was great to sit in a car and open the windows and not get hot. The driving out here is a little different then it is back home. There are not very many stop lights and everyone is a tad bit assertive when it comes to getting to where you need to go. I had to hold on a couple times and I felt nervous that we would hit someone. We sure did come close a couple times. It appears that a lot of people walk around. I see a lot of people on the street and it is nice to see that. You don’t see that very much in the US. I haven’t seen one fat person here. Maybe it is all the walking. The center here in Cuernevacca is a lot nicer then I thought it would be and everyone seems so friendly. Dinner tonight was fantastic and it was fun to sit down with everyone and talk. I am certainly exhausted and I am ready for bed now.

March 25, 2008

Very exciting and exhausting day. We started out at the ruins and I was truly amazed at the beauty and grandeur of the place. It was fascinating hearing about the various cultural types of the inhabitants. So much history that we often don’t realize or acknowledge. I was astounded by how advanced this civilization was. I really enjoyed learning about the sacredness of the site and learning about the rituals that were performed there. I was especially impressed with how the Mayan and Aztecs came up with a precise calendar. I loved learning about the hieroglyphics of they site. Out tour guide Lisanne told us that the people always made records of the here and now so it was interesting to see this particular recorded event frozen in time. When we got back we went to the home of Maxamillion who was appointed emperor of Mexico, but he wasn’t a Mexican an Austrian. I thought that was a little bizarre but it may be worth doing some research. I know that he was asasinated. The grounds were beautiful and very well kept. I took a lot of great pictures of the gardens and fountains on the premises. It is interesting how the homes are all locked up from the front and does not look as inviting, but once you open the door to the front of the house, you notice that it is really quite beautiful. It is kind of like a fortress out here and the front door is the opening of the fortress. Once inside, there are beautiful flowers and sitting areas as well as small plants and gardens. It is very unique. When we left Maximillion’s home, the city was bustling with excitement. There were lots of people on the move and lots of vendors selling unique stuff. I was taken back by how many children were on the streets selling things and I was later informed that some of the children were orphaned and needed to make a living. It broke my heart to hear that and felt the urgency to want to do something to help. We went to the Palace de Cortez and I saw Diego Rivera’s famous mural of Mexican History. The mural started with the arrival of the Spaniards and it depicted a not so pleasant history of events following their arrival It was moving.. Diego Rivera was Frida Kholo’s husband who is also a famous female, Mexican artist. Following the palace, we went to this awesome 15th century Cathedral that is still used for worship today. I was consumed by it. Walking in, you really get a strong sense of devotion. The chapel was simple, and beautiful, and not overly ornate. There was no music only the utterance of prayers. It felt like a step outside the world and into the sacred. I loved seeing the people worship and felt the need to quietly sit down and take it all in. Somber silence is so powerful. What we say without words!!! After the Cathedral we went into the plaza were the local people congregate. Much festivity was taken place around me. Marisella said that around 5:00 to 5:30 people gather in the plaza and rest. They talk about their day and visit with each other. It is a time for community bonding. How wonderful would it be if we in the United States took that time too. Maybe if we were more in touch with our communities here, we would better appreciate each other and be more empathetic to others. I don’t know. Wow! Amazing day. I saw a lot, experienced a lot, and now I am ready for bed.

March 26, 2008

Time is flying. Today we did a fun activity called the market basket activity. It was our first real taste of what life is like for local Mexicans in Curenevacca. We divided into teams and were given a certain amount of money and a list of items to purchase at the market place. This activity was a lot of fun because we really got to get a taste of what the city was like on our own. The amount of pesos we received was 100.00. This is how much an average Mexican worker brings home on a daily basis. With that money, we were told to be frugal and use the barter system because a little bit needed to go a long way. Going to the market was a unique experience. It has never seen anything like it before. The vendors at the market typically have there own shops and they are run by the family. To have your own shop in Mexico is considered high status. The market was broken up into divisions. You had people selling clothes, shoes and electronics in one portion, others were selling artwork, pottery and dishes. Fruit stands, diary products, and meat were another part of the market as well as dry supplies. I was amazed at how big the market was. I smelled lots of delicious foods cooking and was really excited about trying it. In a few moments, we will have a guest speaker come and talk to us about the current economical situation in Mexico. Fun day.

March 27, 2008

Today we went and met with the ladies organization at their church and listened to all their wonderful stories about how they got the group started and what they did to help the people of Cuernevacca. Each of their stories was unique and special. I was really blown away by their programs and how they teach people about nutrition, art, current events and religion. I was especially impressed by the nutritional part. I must admit that I was starving and it was difficult to stay focused while smelling all that wonderful food. The meal that was prepared for us was probably the best that I have had on the trip, but I was mostly amazed by the amount of love and preparation was put into making it. The people of Cuernevacca are lovely and polite as well as hospitable. I am always touched by the kindness that is shown to me here by the people. Smiling is not hard for them. Affection adorns the streets every where I go. It is either a simple greeting with a kiss or a romantic moment shared by young lovers. I love that! In the US we are so self involved. We don’t take time to kiss the ones we love or show hospitality to complete strangers. I wish we would. Following the lunch, we went back to Cemal and met with the artisans of the surrounding regions. Each of their stories was unique and their cultural differences were manifest in what they were selling to us. We heard about why their work was so important to the economy and to their family’s survival. Can you imagine what the must be like? The poverty out here saddens me a great deal. This place is so beautiful and to see what so many are suffering or living without has opened my eyes to a new perspective. It especially saddens me to see the children working on the streets to help keep their families alive. I couldn’t imagine a childhood like this. In fact, there is nothing childlike about it. These children have to grow up quickly and adopt a work ethic of an adult. They don’t have time to play with their friends or watch TV or play video games. They don’t get to go to school and get an education because it isn’t practical to their survival. I think about my boys and all the things that they have that these children do not. I wish that I could give these children what they deserve.

March 28, 2008

Today has been the best day of the trip. This morning we went and saw the water system that is being implemented to help save the Barrackas de San Antone. With all the economic change that has occurred throughout the years, there has been so much damage to the water out here. Citizens of Cuernevaca have been using the river out here to dump waste and sewage. Predominantly, it has been the wealthy people who absent mindedly do it. A lot of the poor people who live by the river (because it stinks, and is dirty) have to suffer the consequences of what the rich people on the hill do. What I saw today angered me and made me feel sad. I hate how the rich exploit the poor. I hated seeing and smelling that water and thinking about all the children who have to grow up living by it. There have been reports of disease and illness of those who must live their lives near the river. There is also a big social stigma placed on those who “must live in sh**.” I don’t understand why people are forced to through their waste into a river! This government infuriates me. I hated not seeing a fish or turtle or plant in the water. Only garbage and brown, mucky, water. There were no children playing near it, no women cleaning clothes, no men fishing. It frightened me a little bit how such an important natural resource has been damaged extensively to the point that it would take years to undo the damage that has been done. What is even more depressing is that the rivers were once pristine and full of life. Marisella was telling us that when she was a child, she used to in the river and it was safe and refreshing. That is so upsetting to me. Right now, I am sitting in bed at the “casa de bonita” of Guadalupe the hostess of our home stay. We got to Huitzelac as about 3:30 today. This is a small rural town that is 20 or so miles from Cuernevacca and is quietly nestled in the mountains. I was so delighted to meet Lupe and she is truly an angelita. Her spirit is warm and kind, and I am amazed by her. I feel like there is so much she could teach me. She is 77 and she is very healthy. She walks everywhere she goes. She is probably healthier then me. She is quite the cook and hostess. I felt a connection to her from the moment that I saw her and I am grateful to be here. I trust here completely. Listening to the stories about immigration to the United States has been informative and sad. Something must be done and closing the borders is not it! We are America and we have the potential as well as the means and capabilities to assist. Besides, we need each other. I am going to see if I can do anything to help. I love this country and these beautiful, wonderful, people. They are so rich in other ways that we couldn’t believe or come close to understanding! We Americans can be so arrogant and ignorant at times. Why don’t we appreciate what we have like these people do? Why are we constantly needing and wanting more? Why do we ingest harmful things into our bodies? Have we become the epitome of gluttony? Disgusting! Why are so quick to judge others and only look out for ourselves? Why does everything have to be so damn competitive? I have known Lupe for six hours and all ready she has changed me! She has made me want to become a better person. The language barrier has been tough and I am doing everything I can to try to communicate with her. I have a whole new appreciation and understanding for what Spanish speakers who come to the U.S. and don’t know English must deal with. I am feeling inspired to help.

March 29, 2008

(Elevator statement at the Hostile in Mexico) Marisella had us do an exercise called an “elevator statement.” This is were one has the opportunity to talk about their home stay to another person who wasn’t there in Mexico with you. The idea is that you capture the essence of the visit and condense it down to just one minute of conversation. Here is mine and it sums up my experience so it will be my entry for the day: Life changing experience! Have you ever barely known someone and yet you feel a strong bond with them? This is how Guadalupe made me feel. We encountered so many obstacles, language, cultural differences, backgrounds, but something universal and transcendent was spoken that we could both understand and that was LOVE. People are not that different from each other. We can speak the same language with a smile, laugh, tear… The only thing that separates us is the thoughts that we create about each other in our own heads. What I have learned is you must let your guard down. You need to step away from what you know in order to be taught. Ignorance is fear, step away from it and breathe life!!!

March 30, 2008

This is a short one today. I have so much to do and such little time. This is our last full day in Mexico, and I am sooo sad. This has been an amazing experience for me. I am so coming back here with my husband. I have had the time of my life and I feel as if I have truly immersed myself into this experience. Right now, I am staying at this gorgeous hostile and things are just great. Today, we went and worked in the fields. I must admit that this was the part that I have been dreading the most but it was really pleasant. I had some time to think about all the places I had been ,the people that I have met, and all the things that I have learned. Not only that, but I felt like I had the opportunity to give something back and to be of assistance. It was a nice day to work out in the fields and I am really tired. We had a nice breeze and a little rain, so that helped us cool off. I am amazed at how hard these people work!

March 31, 2008

So sad. On the plane, Coming home! It has been an exciting adventure and I have taken away so much. I feel as if I am changed for the better and I can’t wait to get home and see my children and tell them everything that I have learned. I feel the need to say a big “thank you” for this wonderful program at Westminster College. What a truly unique experience. I feel fortunate to have been apart of MAT and I am going to miss all the wonderful people that I have met. I feel as if they have been a big part of my life for this past year and I am going to wish them all the luck. Getting to spend time with David and Tim was a lot of fun. It was neat getting to know them and they have taught me a lot. I aspire to be great teachers like they are and I feel like I have been learning from the best during this entire program.

Easter

Okay, I obvioulsy have broken my "I will try to post everyday rule" but things have been really busy around here of late. Tim and I have been planning our Easter extravaganza and we have been getting the house ready for guests. Not only that, but the semester has been winding down a bit and work kind of just stats to pile up. Add a trip to Mexico into the equation, and stress just goes through the roof!!!

Okay topic... " I like to____ for many reassons." I like to meet new people for many reasons. I am a social butterfly. I believe that the more people you know, the merrier. I like to meet new people because I don't think that anyone can ever have too many friends. It is also nice to meet new people so that you can gain new perspectives and learn new things. I find that the more I learn from others, the better off I am. I like hearing different viewpoints, and I consider myself never set in my ways.

Yeah okay, not such an exciting post, but, I am going down the list.

I will be gone for a little while because I am heading to Mexcio on Monday for a school trip. I am excited to see another country and experience a new culture. It will be hard to leave Tim and the kids but eight days is not so bad. I am sure that Tim will be able to take care of things while I am gone, however I know that it will try his patience a little, but he needs it. I will post pictures.

Have you ever wodered about....

Have you ever wondered what the purpose of day light savings is? I have a really tough time adjusting to time changes. I don't really understand why we even need them. It is nice to have that extra hour of sunlight in the evening but I sure do suffer for it the next morning. I have never been much of a morning person. I am more of a night owl. It seems that I don't fully wake up till the evenings anyway. Its kind of always been that way for me. So, to take an hour of sleep away from me is highly unfair.
I kind of liked the six months on, six months off thing. I also make it a habbit to remember that when it is general conference weekend, you set your clocks foward one hour. I guess I don't need to remember that anymore. Tim and I gave talks in sacrament this morning and if Dad hadn't called to remind us about the time change, then I don't think we would have made it. Luckily for us, a lot of other people forgot about the time change and we only had a chapel that was about half full. It made the stress of standing in front of a lot of people and speaking for 15 minutes a lot easier.

A new experiment

Today, I was in my Language Arts methods class when my professor gave me a fantastic idea. She started to explain how important it is to have your students keep journals. She also stressed how imparitive it was for teachers to be role models and have one as well. I inquired if on-line blogging would count as journal and she said absolutly, so I am hoping to start up my on-line blogging again! I think that this will be a lot of fun to start and hopefuly very beneficial to my future students. It may even encourage them to start an on line blog as well.
My professor also gave us a list of topics that we could use for our students when they run out of ideas. It is a huge list front and back so my goal is to use those topics and post once daily on a specific theme. I hope to incoporate photos, attachments, music, art, poetry, lesson plans or whatever else comes to mind. I think that this will be exciting and hopefuly it will give people a chance to understand me on a much deeper level. Anyway, have fun reading. Don't feel like you need to post a comment or anything unless you really want to.