2.24.2011
Homecoming
Yesterday I was cramming the final pieces of information on Latin America into the brains of my geography class when one of my students stopped me and told me that someone was at my door. As I walked out the door, I saw a woman with a man in a military uniform. She told me that her son was in my class and unbeknownst to him, his dad had returned form Iraq. I invited them in. Any description I could give for the look on that boy's face wouldn't suffice. It was some combination of puzzlement, excitement and joy. His mom had tears in her eyes, as did I and other members of the class. I dismissed him those two minutes early so he could enjoy the two weeks he gets before his dad has to go back. It was beautiful.
2.11.2011
BYU v. Utah
The big game is tomorrow, so I wore my fancy shoes to school. My student wore his. We took a picture with my iPod.
2.08.2011
How to Get Published on ESPN.com and Two Free All-Sport Passes...
...when it's the last thing in the world that you want.
1. Write a letter to the editor that gets published in the Daily Universe calling the BYU community to repentance for worshiping Jimmer.
2. Leave your Facebook account for ANYONE to comment (uhhh, why on earth would you do this?).
3. Have somebody on Cougarboard find the letter.
4. Watch the comments fly in (warning: some comments are irreverent).
5. Have the story go viral.
6. Become a notable resident of your hometown on its Wikipedia page.
7. Get offered BYU All-Sport Passes so you too can become a heathen idol worshipper.
(You can see a nice story about the guy in the previous video here. Go to 10:55 in the episode.)
1. Write a letter to the editor that gets published in the Daily Universe calling the BYU community to repentance for worshiping Jimmer.
2. Leave your Facebook account for ANYONE to comment (uhhh, why on earth would you do this?).
3. Have somebody on Cougarboard find the letter.
4. Watch the comments fly in (warning: some comments are irreverent).
5. Have the story go viral.
6. Become a notable resident of your hometown on its Wikipedia page.
7. Get offered BYU All-Sport Passes so you too can become a heathen idol worshipper.
(You can see a nice story about the guy in the previous video here. Go to 10:55 in the episode.)
2.07.2011
Snow
From all of the blog entries/Facebook updates I have read, it seems like Utah is the only place that hasn't been having snow days. All we have had lately is extremely low temperatures (Provo was -7 with wind chill last week). I'm telling you, at this point in the school year I could definitely use a snow day.
In my excitement for better weather, I did order myself a new tennis bag. Isn't it lovely?
Unfortunately, my UPS tracking app says it's stuck somewhere in Illinois enjoying a snow day.
In my excitement for better weather, I did order myself a new tennis bag. Isn't it lovely?
2.03.2011
Adventures in Teaching
A couple of happenings at school today:
All of the Ute fans in my B2 government class secretly proclaimed today Ute pride day. They are quite aware of my love of Jimmer and all things BYU, so they proudly wore their University of Utah t-shirts to tease me. I asked them if they were celebrating their loss to UNLV last night and left it at that. Pretty funny kids.
A student in my current issues class told me that he was going to take on the persona of Karl Marx for the duration my class. He told me that he wanted to be called Karl (not his real name, though it does start with a K), and I started to call him Karl Marx, so he ran with it. He made arguments in favor of socialized medicine, trying to tell me that the medical innovation that the Nazis developed in their inhumane treatment of Jews far surpassed anything that the market could produce. I kindly reminded him that Hitler was not a communist. He took time to editorialize that he wasn't actually a Marxist, but he would act like one in my class. When asked what he really was, he said he was an anarchist. To further establish my intellectual dominance, I asked him if he was an anarcho-capitalist or an anarcho-syndicalist. That one stumped him. He claimed that he had read the Wikipedia article on anarcho-syndicalism, but couldn't remember what it was. All the other kids in the class think he is a genius and ask him to use smaller words. He's a pretty bright kid, and to his credit, he had the curiosity to write down what I said so he could go look it up. It's going to be a fun class.
All of the Ute fans in my B2 government class secretly proclaimed today Ute pride day. They are quite aware of my love of Jimmer and all things BYU, so they proudly wore their University of Utah t-shirts to tease me. I asked them if they were celebrating their loss to UNLV last night and left it at that. Pretty funny kids.
A student in my current issues class told me that he was going to take on the persona of Karl Marx for the duration my class. He told me that he wanted to be called Karl (not his real name, though it does start with a K), and I started to call him Karl Marx, so he ran with it. He made arguments in favor of socialized medicine, trying to tell me that the medical innovation that the Nazis developed in their inhumane treatment of Jews far surpassed anything that the market could produce. I kindly reminded him that Hitler was not a communist. He took time to editorialize that he wasn't actually a Marxist, but he would act like one in my class. When asked what he really was, he said he was an anarchist. To further establish my intellectual dominance, I asked him if he was an anarcho-capitalist or an anarcho-syndicalist. That one stumped him. He claimed that he had read the Wikipedia article on anarcho-syndicalism, but couldn't remember what it was. All the other kids in the class think he is a genius and ask him to use smaller words. He's a pretty bright kid, and to his credit, he had the curiosity to write down what I said so he could go look it up. It's going to be a fun class.
1.27.2011
Jimmer Love
Last year I posted a couple of times about my Jimmer obsession. Last night I went to the BYU-SDSU game, and let me tell you, my adoration of Jimmer has only gotten stronger. And the rest of the country has apparently caught Jimmer fever. It's so much fun for me. I'm just savoring it, because a player this amazing only comes around once in maybe, oh, 30 years. If you haven't had a chance to watch him, you should, even if you're not necessarily a basketball fan. Here's a little taste of what I saw last night:
And this was the scene after the game. Can you even imagine what he must have been feeling?
1.24.2011
Molly Louise
As I was practicing last Thursday for week two of Dancing Up a Storm, I got a text that read, "It's Keli, Kirstens sis in law. She's in labor. Will you call her at Riverton hospital? Thanks!" It was accompanied by a missed phone call from my sister. My heart sank a little bit as I realized that Kirsten's husband was still in Argentina (he was scheduled to fly in two days later). I immediately called her back, hoping that it was a false alarm, but it seemed that the little girl was anxious to get out and see the world.
As I drove up to the hospital, my heart raced. My mom had left a few days earlier for London, and of course Bryan wasn't there, so being her only sister, I needed to be there for her. I didn't know anything about having a baby; plus, I don't deal well with blood and fluids. I was guessing that her mother-in-law would be there too, but I wasn't totally sure. It turned out that she was, as was her sister-in-law.
The afternoon and evening progressed with contractions, but no baby. Bryan watched via webcam in Argentina, where it was the middle of the night. Kirsten was amazing, not really complaining at all, even when she was having a lot of pain before her epidural, and when her epidural wasn't working too well on one side. She really is one of the toughest people I know.
Eventually, Molly Louise Clayton was born at 10:27 PM. She weighed 8 lbs 9 oz (lucky she was two weeks early, or she would have been HUGE). She is beautiful with dark, almost curly hair. Once she decided to come that evening, she came quickly.
And you know what? It was AMAZING to witness. No queasiness or uneasiness, just happiness and joy. It was a testament to me of how truly miraculous and sacred life is. It's kind of hard to put into words just how special it was and I feel really lucky to have been there. I got a sub for my classes and got to spend all day the next day in the hospital with Kirsten and Molly. I even got the special wristband that is generally reserved for the dad. Not too many people get to watch a live birth (no, movies don't count) before they actually give birth, but I'm glad I got to see this girl come into the world:
As I drove up to the hospital, my heart raced. My mom had left a few days earlier for London, and of course Bryan wasn't there, so being her only sister, I needed to be there for her. I didn't know anything about having a baby; plus, I don't deal well with blood and fluids. I was guessing that her mother-in-law would be there too, but I wasn't totally sure. It turned out that she was, as was her sister-in-law.
The afternoon and evening progressed with contractions, but no baby. Bryan watched via webcam in Argentina, where it was the middle of the night. Kirsten was amazing, not really complaining at all, even when she was having a lot of pain before her epidural, and when her epidural wasn't working too well on one side. She really is one of the toughest people I know.
Eventually, Molly Louise Clayton was born at 10:27 PM. She weighed 8 lbs 9 oz (lucky she was two weeks early, or she would have been HUGE). She is beautiful with dark, almost curly hair. Once she decided to come that evening, she came quickly.
And you know what? It was AMAZING to witness. No queasiness or uneasiness, just happiness and joy. It was a testament to me of how truly miraculous and sacred life is. It's kind of hard to put into words just how special it was and I feel really lucky to have been there. I got a sub for my classes and got to spend all day the next day in the hospital with Kirsten and Molly. I even got the special wristband that is generally reserved for the dad. Not too many people get to watch a live birth (no, movies don't count) before they actually give birth, but I'm glad I got to see this girl come into the world:
 |
| This photo was taken right after the nurse gave her the first "bath". |
1.19.2011
A Miracle and a Lesson Learned
Back in October, one of my students that I adore asked me to write her a letter of recommendation for a scholarship. I happily obliged. I got the email, and as emails often do when I don't respond immediately, it fell into the abyss. I had it in the back of my mind somewhere, but was grateful when she reminded me again in December. The deadline was January 18th. It went somewhere on my to-do list, and she graciously reminded me again. She told me that I shouldn't wait until the last day in case there were issues with the website.
My good intentions of turning it in earlier failed, and I sat down to fill out the recommendation form yesterday afternoon. When I logged in, there was a message that said that it was due on the 17th and I could no longer submit the recommendation. I read the initial email again multiple times, and it said that I had until midnight CST to turn in my recommendation. I was 1/2 hour too late to call the place, so I had no hopes of getting help. Everything I read was pretty clear that if you didn't get it in on time, they wouldn't accept it. I wrote multiple emails to them pleading my case, begging them to allow me to submit my recommendation–especially because it wasn't the girl's fault. I was guilt-ridden and heart-broken. I felt terrible to have let down such a fantastic student. Even though the website had a glitch, it was really my own fault, since I had been warned ahead of time that there could be issues. I prayed for forgiveness, but also for a miracle, not for my sake (I didn't deserve it), but for hers.
I called the organization the first thing this morning to see if there was anything I could do. The guy on the other side of the call wasn't very nice and he told me that there was nothing he could do. I explained that it wasn't the girl's fault at all and that she did everything right. He told me that he was sorry (though his tone didn't really convey that feeling) but he couldn't do anything about it. I asked if there was anyone else I could talk to that could help me. He told me all I could do was write an email, but it was unlikely that they would make any exceptions. I could hardly talk, and I nearly broke down and cried.
First period started, and I stammered through the first few minutes. I apologized to my students, telling them that I hadn't had the best morning. Shortly into class, I went to look at something on my computer and saw an email from the organization that was offering the scholarship. They told me that due to technical difficulties last night, they were extending the deadline until 5:00 today. As soon as I had a moment, I turned in a letter with all the praise that I could lavish upon her.
The interesting thing about it was that if not for that glitch, I never would have learned what I did. It would have saved a lot of suffering (and trust me, I had a major breakdown), but I wouldn't have gotten the powerful lesson on procrastination that I did. I'm also grateful for the reminder that God will give us grace in our weaknesses, and that we can always turn to Him for help. It reminded me that I should be merciful to those who humbly, and perhaps even those who not so humbly, ask for my compassion. Lessons learned.
My good intentions of turning it in earlier failed, and I sat down to fill out the recommendation form yesterday afternoon. When I logged in, there was a message that said that it was due on the 17th and I could no longer submit the recommendation. I read the initial email again multiple times, and it said that I had until midnight CST to turn in my recommendation. I was 1/2 hour too late to call the place, so I had no hopes of getting help. Everything I read was pretty clear that if you didn't get it in on time, they wouldn't accept it. I wrote multiple emails to them pleading my case, begging them to allow me to submit my recommendation–especially because it wasn't the girl's fault. I was guilt-ridden and heart-broken. I felt terrible to have let down such a fantastic student. Even though the website had a glitch, it was really my own fault, since I had been warned ahead of time that there could be issues. I prayed for forgiveness, but also for a miracle, not for my sake (I didn't deserve it), but for hers.
I called the organization the first thing this morning to see if there was anything I could do. The guy on the other side of the call wasn't very nice and he told me that there was nothing he could do. I explained that it wasn't the girl's fault at all and that she did everything right. He told me that he was sorry (though his tone didn't really convey that feeling) but he couldn't do anything about it. I asked if there was anyone else I could talk to that could help me. He told me all I could do was write an email, but it was unlikely that they would make any exceptions. I could hardly talk, and I nearly broke down and cried.
First period started, and I stammered through the first few minutes. I apologized to my students, telling them that I hadn't had the best morning. Shortly into class, I went to look at something on my computer and saw an email from the organization that was offering the scholarship. They told me that due to technical difficulties last night, they were extending the deadline until 5:00 today. As soon as I had a moment, I turned in a letter with all the praise that I could lavish upon her.
The interesting thing about it was that if not for that glitch, I never would have learned what I did. It would have saved a lot of suffering (and trust me, I had a major breakdown), but I wouldn't have gotten the powerful lesson on procrastination that I did. I'm also grateful for the reminder that God will give us grace in our weaknesses, and that we can always turn to Him for help. It reminded me that I should be merciful to those who humbly, and perhaps even those who not so humbly, ask for my compassion. Lessons learned.
1.17.2011
Off to London!
My parents left this morning for London. They will be serving in the England London Mission in the Family History Center. It's finally starting to hit me that they're gone. I miss them already, but I'm so proud of them. They are the best parents in the world, and I'm so lucky to have them.
Dancing Up a Storm
The ballroom team at Westlake puts on a show called "Dancing Up a Storm" (we're the Westlake Thunder). It's like "Dancing with the Stars" where the pros are the dance students and the stars are teachers, students, and members of the community. I was asked to be a "star" for the show. Last Saturday was round one and this Saturday is round two.
I felt sorry for the poor kid who had to teach me to dance, but we had a really fun time, and we ended up doing pretty well on our cha cha last Saturday. We got a 7, 8 and 9 (that judge gave me brownie points because I'm the tennis coach).
I was grateful to have a great cheering section, including my parents (who were in the MTC last week, but got to come), my sister and her kids, Tasha, Jenilyn, and some of my tennis girls. Here, however, is my biggest fan:
Isn't he handsome?
This Saturday we will be doing our quickstep routine. I have to admit that I'll be glad to be done.
I felt sorry for the poor kid who had to teach me to dance, but we had a really fun time, and we ended up doing pretty well on our cha cha last Saturday. We got a 7, 8 and 9 (that judge gave me brownie points because I'm the tennis coach).
I was grateful to have a great cheering section, including my parents (who were in the MTC last week, but got to come), my sister and her kids, Tasha, Jenilyn, and some of my tennis girls. Here, however, is my biggest fan:
Isn't he handsome?
This Saturday we will be doing our quickstep routine. I have to admit that I'll be glad to be done.
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