Brownie Adair

My friend Brownie, and pretty much Grandma, passed away just over a week ago and I feel like I should write something about her.  I know that at this point she would yell at me and tell me not to put her picture or anything on here.  It is for that exact reason that I am doing it, and she wouldn't expect anything less.  There needs to be something that she would give me a hard time about and vice versa.  That’s how our relationship is; she always called me her little idiot.  Some would say that doesn’t sound very nice but coming from Brownie, it is certainly a term of endearment to me. She had 3 named idiots and I'm proud to be one of them. I miss her already and laugh at the most random memories I have with her.  Things from going to Oregon with her to go down the Granny rapids for her 80^th birthday to calling her as a kid from a hotel just to tell her that I was in the bathroom on the phone, I still don’t know why they would put a phone by the toilet.  She thought that was the funniest thing.  I could continue with so many other funny stories but I’ll stop here.  I think that’s enough for here.  I wish I could have seen the reunion with her and Byron. I can only imagine the celebration.  I love my Brownie and will miss her. 

Mission Reunion with Pres and Sis Engbjerg

Such a great mission reunion.  So fun to see so many friends.  Quite a few more people came late and were unable to be in this picture but it certainly was a fun party.  I have many good memories with so many of these people!  Gotta love it!

Journals

Today I took a little time and looked through my journal of the past almost 2 years.  This journal starts when I moved to Utah, January 09.  It was interesting and I am thankful for journals and for best friends who bug you to write in them. (Thanks Miranda! You're my best friend ever!) I have not been the best at keeping one but I try to write somewhat regularly even if that means once every 3 or 4 or 6 months and update the important events.  I have not done too bad while being in Utah which was fun to look back on.  There were quite a few events that I had forgotten about and I started laughing as I remembered those situations.  I know that in general people say that journals are for your descendants so they can learn about your life etc.  I however think that my journal is of the most use to me.  If my kids kids eventually find something of use in them then that’s great (I can’t really imagine they would) but I have learned from my own writing.  It’s not like I had some huge experience by reading/skimming over my journal but I was reminded of good times and some not so good times.  I guess looking back helps me realize that I have grown, it highlights some really good times as it brings back memories with specific details mentioned, and also helps me realize that hard times come and go.  The key there is that they go.  They do not last forever and I am thankful for them in the end.  I’ve been blessed with many different experiences in my life as well as many wonderful people.

I haven't written anything for a while and somehow I'm at a loss.  I have so many things on my mind but nothing is coming out.   I do have to say that time does baffle me.  I was thinking back to just a year ago and oh how the time flies. Many differences in my life in one year let alone when I think back farther.  It sure makes me feel thankful for the good constants in my life (one of which being change, many good changes).

Observation Day!

Today I had my first formal observation by my University Supervisor. I made sure I had everything ready and re-read the rubric for it last night just to make sure I was remembering all of the parts. I’ve got it. This morning I’m up and going but somehow I didn’t have as much time as I thought I should and I hurried out the door in order to not be late. As I was driving I thought to myself, I’ll make it close enough to on time at least and I’m all ready for my lesson. I was off of the freeway and a couple minutes away from the school when I realized, I FORGOT MY SHOES!!!

Ok, now that may sound bad and you may think to yourself, how can she forget her shoes?! It’s actually quite simple. I did have shoes on. I wear flip flops around the house all the time so I had something on my feet but not my shoes for teaching. For those of you who do not know, flip flops are NOT ok for teachers. We were told quite a few times that they are not professional so don’t wear them. As it is, today was pajama day at school and I specifically dressed in nice professional clothes anyway just because of my observation and then I forget appropriate shoes! Oh man, how annoying. Let’s just take away some points before the lesson even starts! My Cooperating teacher told me that she’d let me go home to get my shoes but I didn’t. How unprofessional would that have been! I just stayed there and decided I couldn’t worry about it. Well, my observation came and it went really well. I told her about my shoes and she said that she understood. She actually told me that she understood why I dressed nice but that she would be ok with the pajamas since the entire school was doing it as long as I let her know. So, she understood about that little thing and I did well on my lesson so I’m happy. It has been a long day and now that I’m home tonight, I will relax a little before going to bed. I have my lessons all ready for tomorrow. I add music to my lessons so that'll be good. Fun stuff! I love student teaching!
My class is great!!!  Random comment, one of my students fell asleep so many times today!  He slept in the rubber at recess; fell asleep at the table multiple times at the table and sitting in circle.  At one point he completely fell out of his chair because he was asleep!  Man he was tired. It was cute but oh so sad.  The other kids would keep going over to him at recess or during class to check on him.  One student informed me (during recess) that he's breathing so I didn't need to worry.  I just love them!  Every day is a new day with them which I love.

President comes to Utah

 < Sis Engbjerg       Mary Clinger >

Last night I was able to go to the airport to see President and Sister Engbjerg when they arrived in Utah.  It was so fun!  I had my camera but didn't take many pictures.  President got a picture of all of us so I'll have to get that from him.  It sure felt like a mini mission reunion just a week before the real reunion.  It was really fun seeing some old friends.  Good time for sure, the reunion is going to be a blast next weekend!  Our mission does like to party.  It was really fun to see President and Sister Engbjerg, it's been 2 years now.  It was just typical of them, they travel 20 hours to get here and what did they bring with them? Fresh pastries from Denmark for all of us who were at the airport.  Of course they come with stuff for us, they are over the top. It was fun, on the way home the car I was in stopped to eat which was fun.  It was great to see some people and hear about their lives.  So much has happened since the mission. Great mission family!

Life with Rula

Well, I've quickly found that living in my Grandma's basement is full of fun and adventure (and some frustrations at times but those can be overlooked).  The latest adventure was today as she wanted me to help her pick peaches before they go bad.  This is not new, we've done this a few times and it does not sound like much of an adventure but let me assure you it was.  Today, we "needed" to get the peaches from the top of the tree.  They were beautiful and we couldn't let them go to waste.  Well, we took a ladder this time which seems ok so far.  As we approach I remember how uneven the ground is there.  The tree is on a slope and right where the ladder should be is quite slanted.  I set up the ladder and try to find a place for it to be so that I can climb up without dying.  No good.  Grandma convinces me to put it closer to the tree and hold the ladder so that she can climb up because she doesn’t think she can hold the ladder for me.  So I sat there and held the ladder for her while only 2 of the 4 legs of the ladder were touching the ground and she insisted on climbing to the top of the ladder.  I looked up and there is my 90 year old (next month) grandma leaning backward trying to get around some branches.  After watching her for a minute I decided I needed to just stare at the ground and hold on because she was making me too nervous.  I did end up getting hit on the head with a couple falling peaches but not too much damage (I don’t think :-).  My Grandma just cracks me up.  You wouldn’t know that she is turning 90 by the way she acts sometimes.  I’m so glad I’m living here with her right now.  It’s nice to spend time with her. 
I sure do love my Rula.