Rejoice always; in everything give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:16

OK, I think I'm a little obsessive with blogging. Oh well, it will be interesting to look over old posts months down the road and see what develops, what lessons we've learned, and what memories we've made. Erica visited today, and I'm so happy for her that she sold her trailer and is planning to marry J in June. They are very happy together, and she deserves that. She bought me a sweet Bob Marley shirt. I'll be wearing it at the Public Property show for Marley's birthday this Saturday. Chloe sold a few more boxes of Girl Scout cookies before she turns in her order tomorrow. She is very brave and mature when talking to our friends. She has better communication skills than many teenagers and adults that I know. The sun was shining brighter than it has for months today. We've been doing a lot of fun indoor activities like visiting the Botanical Center and the Butterfly Garden, but it will be nice when it warms up, and we can go to the zoo and the park. John and TJ might participate in a benefit ice fishing tournament in Victor, IA this Saturday. I am watching the Grammy Awards, and WyClef Jean just gave a shout-out in Creole to all the Haitians trying to recover from the earthquake. I wander if many people in the Dominican Republic speak Creole. I may be going there this summer to take some musical instruments and art supplies to a school that my friend Robin's new husband, Alberto Rivas, opened. I pray for Sativa's skin, for the missing Iowas State college student, Jon Lacina, and his family, for our friends, Matt and Chauncy, and that we all continue to praise Him even through the storms.

Search me Oh God and know my heart. Psalms 139

I just wanted to write three quick things that I want to improve at:

I want to be a more involved aunt to Jason and Addie's kids, my wonderful nieces and nephews. I want to put it on my calendar once a month to go pick them up in Waterloo and take them out for bowling, a museum, the library, ice cream. I used to love living in Waterloo and taking our Godson, Tommy, to Four Queens, pizza, hockey...

I want to be a better communicator with friends and family. I need to make myself take time to call our friends the Barimacs, whom we loved when we lived in Davenport, and to catch up with our Godson, who is now almost an adult.

I want to be better at sending Birthday cards and visiting people on holidays. It makes me sad that our friend, Doris, who we deliver Meals on Wheels to, didn't have visitors on Christmas because of the weather, and that nobody helped her put up her Christmas tree or decorations. It saddens me how few people at the nursing home are visited and how much money is spent in our school and church on unnecessary beautification instead of for altruistic purposes. It would have been a much better use of money to build another hope home for troubled youth than to use it (whether it was donated or not) to build an electric sign or an addition of coat closets and fancy tiled floor. I pray for our friend's son who fell on Friday, for my friend, Stacie and her husband whose dad past away on Friday, and for the safety and health of the people of Haiti. I pray that I do a good job in planning the benefit event, The Market, in April to raise money and used musical instruments and art supplies to bring to youth in need. I pray that I keep a pure heart, have positive relationships with my coworkers, and am the best mom and wife I can be.

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me. Psalms 138

John and I took Rob out to breakfast this morning. He is so outgoing and sociable, and everyone knows him because he's so involved in the community, attending every sporting event and play. I am always so impressed when people who have had to face so much adversity, like Robby and his mental handicap, and Anthony Waltemeyer with his cancer, have much more positivity than the average person who has had smooth sailing. I should have him speak to my class sometime about how to advocate for yourself, be resilient, and to always do your best with the hand you were dealt. Grandpa Fred was released from the hospital today, and his poor health has made his children grow closer in the last couple months. Maybe that was God's plan. We had a nice visit at the nursing home, and Grandma was much more alert and talkative today. Yesterday she was feeling worked up because sometimes her Alzheimers makes her think that her two sons are still young and that she doesn't know where they are. What a horrible feeling that must be. They give her a Zanex pill, and in an hour she doesn't remember that she was ever feeling upset. Dave and the kids were playing UNO when we went to pick them up from Mom's. They enjoyed "the best macaroni ever" that Dave makes and "the best brocoli and cheese in the world" that Gram makes. They watched Parent Trap and had fun at the indoor pool. I had my monthly discussion group, The World Table, at the Junction Lounge and had a good conversation with a lady named Barbara about how it's always best to be positive and model ethical, dignified, and compassionate behavior to anyone we see that might be making poor choices because of stress or lack of moral role models. She said that if she ever sees an abusive parent or domestic abuse in public she always stops to say "You have your hands full, look at these beautiful children, what blessings, can I help you with anything?" I think that a lot of people turn their head to situations that could be deescalated by a simple statement like that. My mom said she saw a couple at the pool, and they kept saying that the two year old wasn't theirs, that he's a foster child, that's why his hair looks like that...I think that's an awful thing to say, and I hope that now with Barbara's advice and God's help I would have the right words to show them how to love everyone like a brother. John is a wonderful, always there to help, would take the shirt off his back kind of friend, and right now his is taking our friend's daughter to Mason City to meet her dad because our friend needs to go see her brother in the hospital. John took all our kids so that I can finish typing my students' poems for Haiti relief. I pray that her brother, Josh, is healed. I pray that Spring comes quickly so that GGB and others who have been stuck inside for much of this snowy winter can get out and have a tea party with their neighbors in the back yard. I pray that I do a good job advertising for the school's Fun Time Friday Carnival and that the public comes and enjoyes themselves and the school makes some money. I pray that God's purpose for me is fulfilled everyday.

Love the Lord with all your heart and teach this to your children Deuteronomy 6

When I go to Perkins, there is always a waitress that asks me if I was the one that brought those cute girls in for a tea party last year wearing their old fashioned hats. The girls and our neighbor friend, Estefani, really enjoyed that and I need to make that a regular tradition, maybe even every Saturday. Mara loves to dress up, and she loves to show off for others and bat her little blue eyes and swing her skirt. Mara is fond of sweet MaeBell at the nursing home because she is not aggressive and reminds her a little of GGB. Mara and her friend, Sam, enjoyed coloring pictures for the residents today, and we're looking forward to visiting another nursing home next month to play Bingo. I pray that these experiences will help raise the kids to become caring, empathetic, and nurturing people who have an intrinsic desire to care for all.

The best time to love is now.

I had a wonderful breakfast with my mom at Perkins this morning. We don't get together very often, so it was nice to catch up. She offered to drive me around while I hung up fliers for the carnival that the kids' school is putting on to make the job quicker. We all went to the nursing home and met some friends from their school to make Spring crafts with the residents. Everyone loved having the kids there and treasured their little paper flowers they made. Chloe and TJ are really wonderful with all the residents, and it's such a blessing to see them interact so well with them. Mara needs a little more exposure and practice, but she'll come around. She gets a little apprehensive when Charlotte demands that Mara eats the other half of her cookie. I went to Jax last night for a quick drink to support the fund raising for a new dog park. After that I went to the grocery store to order two small cakes for TJ's birthday. He's going to have a birthday party here at the house with an Armor of God theme and another party at a pizza place in Des Moines so that maybe his Aunt Jen, Uncle Jimmy, Godmother Leyria, and friend, Hondo, can come celebrate. I ordered a wrestling cake and a skateboarding cake. The kids are going swimming with my mom and Dave tonight and then spending the night there. John is ice fishing with Old Man Larry, and I think I'll just clean house and grade papers, and enjoy a little alone time. I may do a Pilates video or start a new book, Alone with a Jihadist, or maybe just relax. I'm awful tired of hearing about celebrity and politician affairs and broken marriages on the news. My mom saw my Grandma Glo and Grandpa Mike for the first time in many years today. I think Mom enjoyed talking to the residents and made a friend name, Heidi, that she may start visiting on a regular basis. Chloe is proud that she met her goal in Girl Scout cookie sales. I am not really looking forward to sorting and delivering them when they come in, but we'll make the best of it, and it's a good lesson for Chloe to learn responsibility, work ethic, and thank you letter writing. She lost her order form that had 80 cookie orders on it the first weekend that she had it at a Chinese restaurant in Newton. She shed a few tears and then got right on the phone to call all her customers back to get their orders again. John delivered Meals on Wheels with my student, Levi, today for me so that I could go pick up Chloe in Tama from an over nighter at her friend, Megan's. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband. He takes my grandpa to all of his doctor's appointments, and takes such good care of the kids when I'm gone. I came home from a meeting the other night to see them all around the table playing Monopoly. I pray that the friends that we have that are having marital trouble can rekindle the patience, forgiveness, communication, compromise, and unconditional love for their spouse that they once had. I pray that John's Grandpa Fred has another healthy year in him to share another fishing trip to Canada with TJ and John. I pray that my cousin Erica, Uncle Tom, the Billy Shockeys, Jimmy and Jonna, and John's mom, Mary, all reach out to the strength and wisdom from the Lord to feel inner peace, let go of any addictions, work hard and spend little, and take good care of themselves emotionally and physically and of their families. I pray that we too are frugal, fruitful, and fret free knowing that He provides all we need.

The best expression of love is time

Tj went to wrestling practice with his friend, Zeke, today. They are both very good at the sport, and it makes me proud that TJ is a patient and obedient listener and quick learner. Mara took a field trip on a school bus to Fare Way grocery story with her preschool and learned about produce. John's ice fishing with his good buddies, Pork Chop and Beau. I'm typing up invitations for TJ's 6th birthday party next month and watching Funniest Home Videos. It makes me want to record our family more often. Today a teacher told me that my somewhat sloppy attire gives off a negative impression, and it bothers me that so many think that one needs to wear panty hose, high heals, highlights, and mascara to be treated like an educated professional and influential leader. I am very excited to take my students to hear The Dalai Lama speak in Waterloo in a couple months. What an inspiring experience it should be. Today Chloe brought home some flyers that she made for a cookie and hot chocolate fundraiser she is planning for her school and wants me to laminate them. She is a very determined and dedicated young lady. I pray for our friends, the Christans, to have a safe trip to China tomorrow to bring home their adopted daughter. I pray that my student, Anthony Waltemeyer, becomes healthy and strong and kicks his cancer to the curb. I pray that I take time to build meaningful relationships with my students and their families.

Love, sweet love will make the world go round. ONE love!

Last night we had a fun little Girl Scout meeting. I am the co-leader of Chloe's troop, and when I'm passing out brownies and leading the girls in reciting the Promise, I often feel like my wonderful Grandma Betty. Like it's a flashback, and we're actually in the basement of the church in 1955 and her ready steady energy is controlling me every move. The girls made friendship bracelets and wrote letters to their new pen pals in Altoona. TJ joined us because Dad couldn't pick him up from school, and T has absolutely no qualms about sitting around the table with ten girls. He quite enjoys it. After the meeting I went to a watch party that I organized for the ONE Campaign to get together for the President's State of the Union Address at Old Chicago in Ames. There were just six of us, but it was a nice feeling of solidarity and active citizenship despite the loud atmosphere. We were sat next to a very large group of very happy Asians. I thought it was very strange that the manager said that he was breaking policy to let us watch politics there because they are not suppose to take it off of sports. What kind of policy is that? Anyway, we were thankful for closed captioning and sometimes distracted by the content of the President's speech because we'd digress on the close captioning mistakes like athletes instead of alies and cap showered instead of captured. I was so amazed by technology and that we could sit there with our computer and read what people had "tweeted" or blogged about the entire speech they had already watched when it had just begun in Iowa. It even had a count of how many times he said certain words. Jobs, economy, education were all big buzz words. He said "the" 538 times :) Well, I pray that this year will truly be filled with more jobs, easier access to secondary education, and a better economy so that all families can strive. I pray that our family continues to use life to love others whether it be at the nursing home, the hospital, the schools, or the grocery store. I pray that the people in Haiti can slowly recover from the earthquake and that our grandpa's health improve. I pray that the boys are smart and safe when they go ice fishing. I pray that we continue to be blessed with the fellowship of our friends at our monthly potlucks. I pray that I learn a lot about how to make positive change at the Young Professionals Summit I'm going to attend with Libby of the ONE Campaign, at the Dalai Lama presentation that I'm taking my class to see, and in the Grio storytelling, history preserving course I'm going to take. Love, sweet, love can make the world go round.