Thanksgiving Feasts

photo credit

Last Wednesday, my small group from church had a Thanksgiving meal potluck.  Since I love my small group and also love almost all of the typical Thanksgiving foods, I was really looking forward to it.  The meal did not disappoint, and we all enjoyed a great time of food and fellowship.  The next day, we had our annual Thanksgiving meal at school.  This is one of the best meals the lunchroom serves all year, and the fact that it coincides with the 5th grade's living history museum of the 13 American colonies makes it even more fun.  Last night, my roommate hosted a big "Friendsgiving" at our house and there was once again a large feast.  Tomorrow, I'll celebrate on actual Thanksgiving with my family in Florida and then happily eat leftovers for a few days as well.  

I was thinking about how many times I will enjoy eating Thanksgiving foods over these two weeks, and I was struck by the fact that for some of our students, that lunchroom version of Thanksgiving might be the only feast they have related to the holiday.  While that certainly won't the case for most of the children, there are probably a few who won't do or eat anything special tomorrow.  Perhaps their family cannot afford a luxurious feast, or perhaps their parents did not grow up in the United States and don't understand this custom.  

And even though this thought is sobering, I love that about my school.  I love that we have children of mixed economic levels, backgrounds, cultures, and races.  I love that children from very wealthy backgrounds go to the same school with students who receive free or reduced lunch.  And I love that we can offer them all a safe, loving environment to learn and grow... and eat Thanksgiving feasts once a year. :)  In this season of gratitude, I'm especially thankful for the privilege of working in a place like this.  

(Fall-Inspired) Tuesday Tidbits

Tidbit #1: It's Finally Fall!

We have had a few tastes of fall this year, but today it actually felt like a true autumn day.  After some intense storms, a refreshing cold front came through today.  The leaves are also beginning to change, and I'm looking forward to some beautiful, crisp days.  May the cold days of winter stay away though for quite awhile still!

Tidbit #2: New Running Shoes

60 and 70 degree weather also makes me want to run again, and I recently bought some new running shoes to help with this endeavor.  Not necessarily wanting to train for another half marathon, but I do feel inspired to start adding to my mileage again.  We'll see!

Tidbit #3: Manhattan Love Story

Fall also brings the return of television seasons.  While nothing could take away my fierce loyalty to my favorite show, I have been watching a few new ones (first fall without grad school in 3 years = a little more time to watch TV).  Manhattan Love Story is one of them, and it's adorable.  If you like romantic comedies and New York City, you will love it.  It's a classic tale of a naive, Southern girl who moves to the Big Apple.  A blind date disaster ends up having unexpected promise, and you can guess the rest.  While it may be a predictable plot, every episode so far has made me laugh out loud and left me eagerly awaiting the next one.  Some funny side stories with supporting characters also add to the charm.

Expression

Through the sheer coincidence of the artists' schedules, I attended two concerts this past weekend.  (Lest you mistakingly think I am a cool hipster, you should know that the last concert I saw before this weekend was more than six months ago.)  I simply couldn't pass up the chance to see Matthew Perryman Jones and Sandra McCracken, both in small and up-close settings.

I think one thing that makes the "listening room" style concerts especially appealing to me is that the artists take a few moments to explain their songs and share a little background with you.  While every quality song can speak for itself, there is something endearing about that brief, spoken intro that makes it feel more like a conversation between friends than a concert.  And somewhere in the middle of listening to melodies and my stream-of-consciousness thoughts, I had a miniature epiphany:  it's all about expression.  This almost obvious realization made me feel connected to the musical world and other artsy worlds in a new way.  While I do know how to play piano and dabble in guitar, I would not describe myself as a musician.  I am a writer; I write to express myself.  There are days where I feel in my core that I have to write--I'm desperate to process my thoughts in my journal or occasionally a blog (case in point).  Musicians express themselves though the beautiful combination of notes and lyrics.  One of my friends is an artist and expresses herself through visual art.  Her paintings tell a story about her current state of emotion just as much as the written word.

The musician, the writer, the artist--these are just a few examples.  While the methods of expression may vary, I think we were all meant to be communicators in community.

A Global Kingdom

20 days.  15,000+ miles.  10 flights.

This is enough to quench even my travel-loving spirit.  When I arrived back in Birmingham on Sunday morning, I was very happy to be home.  I am even content to not have any big travel plans on the horizon, although I'm sure that won't be permanent.

Every aspect of my my trip half-way across the world and back again went great.  I'm truly so thankful for this.  Even more so though, I am thankful for God's global kingdom and the relationships I have all over the world because of it.  And somehow, they are all connected in various ways.

After a wonderful visit, I left Kate and her roommate Lydia on Thursday morning.  Good times and quality conversations still lingering in my head from there, I arrived in Seattle about 27 hours later.  I spent the weekend with my aunt, uncle, and cousin who have all lived in the Philippines before and even know some of Kate's teammates.  It was great to be able to process my own trip with them and discuss places and cultural aspects.  A few days later, I headed home to Birmingham via Chicago on a red-eye flight.  My dear friend & former missionary teammate Becca came to see me at the airport for a short visit during my early morning layover.  If I hadn't been a missionary myself, I wouldn't have had the same desire to visit a friend on the mission field.  Becca's passion for missionary care has also influenced me over the years--one more way the stories are weaved together.

Finally, there is my church in Birmingham.  My pastor often says it's like a family reunion, and I definitely felt that this past Sunday.  It's a joy to be enthusiastically greeted and hugged by close friends that I love and that I know have been praying for me.  I felt welcomed home in such an encouraging way.

These intertwining stories paint a beautiful picture of the Lord's global kingdom.  It feels like a small taste of heaven.

An Afternoon with the Sama

Of all my updates from the Philippines, this one is the hardest to write.  I considered not writing it, but it was one of my favorite moments from my time there.  I think that's what makes it so hard: knowing I will not be able to justly describe it or capture the experience through my words.  Still, it's on my heart so I shall attempt...

On my last day in the Philippines, we had the opportunity to visit one of the Central Sama communities in Davao.  The Sama (also known as the Badjao) are a minority people group whose lives are deeply connected to the sea.  Their livelihood comes mostly from fishing and trading (especially pearls), and their homes are built on stilts above the sand or shallow water along the coast.  The particular community we visited has about 300 people, and they speak one dialect of the Sinama language.

Working alongside the Sama and with their help, members of SIL have translated the New Testament into Sinama and are currently working on the Old Testament translation.  My friend Kate's focus is mother-tongue literacy & multilingual education, and she is hoping to join forces with an indigenous member of the community (named Jonathan) who is also passionate about this goal and currently working toward it.  In fact, the primary purpose of our visit was for one of the translators to introduce Kate to Jonathan and make that connection.  It was such a privilege to be able to tag along and make the acquaintance of several individuals in the community as well.

Rather than fully narrate our time there, I'm going to just share a few of my thoughts in a stream-of-consciouness style:

Walking into the community, we immediately create a stir and raise attention--not many foreigners venture here...we're graciously ushered onto a bench while others sit in humble, plastic chairs sized for preschoolers or stand...we're genuinely welcomed and someone brings store-bought sodas in glass bottles for us and a package of cookies for each of us--the generosity and kindness of this community is evident...after introductions are made, conversation ensues...I focus on the conversation but also frequently glance around me to the surroundings and the people...I smile at the children and women gathered around us, and they shyly but brightly smile back...I am tempted to leave the conversation and go play with the precious children..."personal space" is an unknown concept here--the houses are all connected to each other and only have fragile or partial walls...later, we go for a short tour and meet more members of the community...there is a beauty and a joy even amongst the poverty and need...and I'm incredibly grateful to have met these brothers and sisters in Christ...

Jonathan, his wife, and their nephew

Davao

I spent most of my time in the Philippines in Davao City on the island of Mindanao.  Especially after hectic Manila, Davao was like a breath of fresh air.  Although it's a large city of around a million people, it felt much smaller than that.  There is not one central, downtown area but rather pockets of commerce in various locations.  It was still quite hot and humid, but it felt cooler than Manila.  Less people, less traffic, & less pavement all contribute to this fact, along with a nice breeze from the bay and some overcast days.

Davao also reminded me of where I lived in Mexico in several ways: bougainvillea trees, half-paved streets, bumpy roads, friendly people, gated houses, and corner stores.  Both cities are the kind of place where you run into people you know, and I love this.  Unfortunately, another similarity both places share is being home to noisy roosters that do not seem to sleep much.

Since I was in Davao for ten days, I felt like I received a fairly good picture of what life is like there.  I rode on various forms of public transportation (including jeepneys, motorized "tricycles", and taxis), went to grocery stores and the market, ran errands, went to church, etc.  Some days, I did things at home while Kate was working or I followed her to meetings at the SIL office or a coffee shop.  We also a took a few vacation days though and enjoyed some time at the beach and at a nearby destination in the mountains.  For meals, we enjoyed eating out at several delicious restaurants as well as eating at home and even ordered pizza one night.  :)  And of course, I tried lots of new food and fruits--all of which were very good, minus the infamous durian.

It's funny how quickly aspects of a place can become routine.  I loved "taking it all in" and not only observing, but participating in daily life in Davao.  Spending a significant amount of time there was great, and I enjoyed feeling at home during my stay.

Jeepney: the most popular way to ride

Jeepneys line a street in one of the commercial parts of Davao

People visiting after church.  I really enjoyed being here--it reminded me of my church in Mexico.

Brunch at Sea Green--delicious food and it's walking distance from Kate's house

Making fresh calamansi juice at home

View of Davao and the bay from Jack's Ridge

Bougainvillea!  (photo by Kate)

a side street in a residential part of Davao (photo by Kate)

Full Circle

Last Wednesday, we visited a beautiful island about an hour away from Davao City by boat.  It was a beautiful day on Isla Reta, and the colorful hues of the water were absolutely gorgeous.  Resting on my towel in the sand next to Kate's, I had a sudden flashback to March 2013.  I'd gone home that weekend for Easter, and Kate & I had made a day trip to St. George Island.  She was considering three different assignments with Wycliffe/SIL and had shared with me some of the pros and cons of each.  One of them was in the Philippines in a city named Davao...

Reflecting on this flashback and being here in the Philippines now to experience Kate's world, I realized how grateful I am.

I am thankful for enduring friendships of many years.

I am thankful to be able to walk through life with friends and process decisions together.

I am thankful to experience joys and sorrows with friends.

I am thankful for friends like Kate who supported me and prayed for me during my time in Mexico.

I am thankful for my job in the U.S. and to be able to pray for and support Kate and others.

I am thankful to have the time and means to travel here to the Philippines to visit Kate.

I am thankful for the story God is unfolding in my life and in others, both in the past and still to come.

And I am thankful for the present and moments like these.

With Kate and others, on a Four Oaks Church mission trip in July 2007

St. George Island, March 2013: listening and processing time

on the way to Isla Reta, July 2014

Isla Reta, Philippines, July 2014

Manila: A City of Contrasts

I arrived in Manila on Friday, July 11th, in the afternoon.  I smoothly passed through immigration and customs and quickly found my friend Kate in the crowd without any problems.  From there, we hit the ground running so that I could see as much of the city as possible in my 2 and 1/2 days there.  What I discovered is that Manila is a city of contrasts.

I would be lying if I did not say that my first and strongest sense of Manila is the oppressive heat and humidity.  Since I grew up in Florida, I thought I'd be better equipped to handle this.  There is something about the tropics though accompanied by roughly 12 million people that overpowers you.  The contrast to this extreme is the what Filipinos affectionately call "air-con" or AC in my vocabulary.  People flock to the air-conditioned malls and restaurants, and I can easily understand why after experiencing the heat and quickly found myself doing the same thing.

Manila is also a city of economic extremes.  Saturday, we spent the day visiting several market districts (Chinatown, Divisoria, and Quiapo).  There are a myriad of vendors as well as beggars, especially outside the churches.  Sunday, we visited the high-end of the city (Makati and Bonifacio Global City) where expensive brand names abound and there are three Starbucks all within a few kilometers of each other.  One thing that especially strikes me about Manila is the close proximity of the rich and the poor. It reminds me of New Orleans in this sense.  To see the harsh reality of a squatter's life and witness a man bathing just a few feet from the street, shielded only by a make-shift partial shelter, and then to walk into a brand-new, multiple-story mall is jarring to say the least.

It is also a city contrasted by aesthetic differences.  It's much greener than I expected and the beautiful, lush palm trees are everywhere along with varied flowers and trees.  There are also wonderful sunsets.  Yet, people have also marred this natural beauty.  Trash in the river is a common sight, and the fumes of all the transportation for millions of people create a smog.

I suppose you could say that most big cities are full of contrasts, but Manila seems to be an extreme example of this.  I'm glad I could experience it for a few days and catch a glimpse of it.

Travel Thoughts

Sitting on the plane from Seoul to Manila, I type in Microsoft Word and will upload this later to Blogger.  It's my 4th flight in just a few days, but I'm holding up pretty well.  Induced by travel, my head is full of thoughts that range from the deep to the shallow.

As I rode on the airport shuttle this morning from the Best Western back to Incheon airport, I was thinking about the word foreign.  Though simple in definition, its connotation can be strong.  Latin America and Europe do not feel foreign to me.  They may feel different, but not foreign or completely new.  Some places even feel familiar like I belong there.  It’s my first time in Asia, and it truly does feel foreign.  It’s not just that I don’t understand any of the words around me—I can’t even read any of the characters.  I see only one other Westerner in the giant Seoul airport this morning, and that surprises me and increases this foreign feeling.

But then, there are also the parts of travel that make the world seem smaller…like the friendly Filipino couple who sit next to me on the plane and live in Lakeland, FL, or the way all children are similar no matter their language or culture.  There is the universal comfort of things like a hot shower and a Starbucks chai latte, which tastes the same from Zacatecas to Seoul. 

I am also fascinated by the way that the language part of our brain works.  I have already found myself wanting to speak Spanish to the people around me, or translating a question in my head that I need to ask an employee.  It’s my natural instinct – if the people around me aren’t speaking English, my mind assumes it should speak Spanish.  I don’t know what it is like for people who speak multiple foreign languages, but I would imagine whichever secondary language they learned first is the most ingrained in them and their “default” mode.

Enough travel reflections for now, I’m going to watch a TV episode on my computer. :)

July 1st

Today is July 1^st: the day that every teacher has a miniature panic attack because summer is half over.  (If you think that school doesn’t start until September or that summer is three months long, you are living under a rock.)  If you don’t believe me, just ask any teacher.  They all experience the “July 1^st phenomenon."

This year though, I had some premature panicking back in June and instead now find myself in a relatively healthy spot today on July 1.  I have been thinking about the fact that there will always be more to do.  I can’t think of a time in the last fifteen years when every item on my checklist was completed.  There will always be one more email or phone call to make, one more errand to run, one more goal to pursue, etc.  That is life!  Maybe there’s a point when you no longer feel this way, but I think that as long as I am cognizant, I will have things I want to accomplish each day even if it’s one last letter to write to my family. 

So then what do we do if the “to-do list” will always be there?  We accept it.  We take Sabbath anyway.  I love the way Mark Buchanan explains this in his book The Rest of God:

            “The lie the taskmasters want you to swallow is that you cannot rest until your work’s all done, and done better than you’re currently doing it.  But the truth is, the work’s never done, and never done quite right.  It’s always more than you can finish and less than you had hoped for.

            So what?  Get this straight: The rest of God -- the rest God gladly gives so that we might discover the part of God we’re missing -- is not a reward for finishing.  It’s not a bonus for work well done. 

It’s a sheer gift.  It’s a stop-work order in the midst of work that’s never complete, never polished.  Sabbath is not the break we’re allotted at the tail end of completing all our tasks and chores, the fulfillment of all our obligations.  It’s the rest we take smack-dab in the middle of them, without apology, without guilt, and for no better reason than God told us we could.”

And so June slips into July, and August will be here before we know it as well.  But that’s ok.  I still have things I hope to get done before the end of the summer, but it will be all right if I don’t.  My heart can be at rest whether it’s the summer or the busiest day of the school year because God is good and reigning on the throne.

[Side note: this “July 1^st” theme seemed oddly familiar, and sure enough I mentioned it in a blog post two years ago.  Clearly, it’s a lesson I’m still learning…]

Tuesday Tidbits

In an effort to blog more during the school year, I'm starting something new: Tuesday Tidbits.  I got the idea from my good friend and fellow blogger Cara and her "Three Things Thursday" posts.  It's for those times when you want to share just a few random thoughts, but not necessarily write a whole blog post on any one of those thoughts.  So welcome to the first edition of Tuesday Tidbits!

Tidbit #1: Haiti in the Ham

A few weeks ago, a group from Canaan Christian Community in Haiti came to visit us in Birmingham. My church has an on-going partnership with Canaan and has gone on multiple mission trips there, and I had the privilege of going in March 2013.  The Canaan kids (and leaders) were in the U.S. for a homeschooling convention, and it worked out for them to also visit Bham during their time in the States.  It was so special to have them here for a few days and spend time with them.  Check out this video excerpt of a beautiful song they learned for a singing competition at their convention:

Tidbit #2: The World Cup

Yes, I know it's easy to jump on this bandwagon and pretend you like soccer every 4 years so you can participate in all the World Cup hype.  However, it's also really fun.  I also like to think of myself as more of a legitimate fan since I lived for two years in a country that truly does love futbol, where my appreciation for the sport grew.  Throw in the fact that it's summer, and I actually have time to watch the games, and out comes "Christen, World Cup enthusiast."  Some people say soccer is boring because it's such a low-scoring game, but I think that's what makes the goals all the more exciting... like yesterday when after 70 minutes of 0-0, Mexico scored two goals within just a few minutes of each other.  So whenever possible, you'll probably find me watching the World Cup this summer especially if my two favorite teams are playing.  Go U.S.A and Viva México!!

Tidbit #3: Million-Dollar Arm

While we're on the subject of sports, I need to mention the best movie I've seen in the theater in a long time: Million-Dollar Arm.  I always love a good sports movie, but this movie also includes one of my other favorite topics: studies in culture.  Parts of the movie are set in India and parts in the U.S., and both the obvious and subtle cultural differences fascinate me.  The movie also meets my personal criteria for a great movie: it made me laugh (a lot) and cry.  There are also great supporting characters and themes of forgiveness, grace, and identity all appear in the film.  Definitely a win!

Keeping it Real

So you know those addictive quizzes that everyone always posts on Facebook?  Definitely guilty of doing my fair share of those.  Some of my favorite results have been that I am the most like "Anna" on Downton Abbey and then "Lucy" (of The Chronicles of Narnia) in terms of classic literary characters.  According to Buzz Feed, I am also the most like "Monica" of the six Friends characters.  I definitely did not need a quiz to confirm this fact though.  In fact, I am often reminded of how I am like Monica. Here's why:

• I love for things to be clean, and this is only getting worse as I get older.  I used to be just a neat-freak, but now I am probably a clean-freak as well and possibly a germaphobe.  I don't actually enjoy the cleaning process itself, but it's oh-so-satisfying afterwards and a clean house seriously makes me happy.  If the said house was also cleaned with Fabuloso, then I am really delighted.  Cleanliness + Mexico memories = great mood
• I am extremely competitive.   During an inner-city ministry internship in college, I got the "I'm Sweet Till I'm Losing" Award.  It might have been the most well-deserved award I've ever received.  I say that I'm really only competitive at things I'm somewhat good at, but I've realized lately that this is actually just another form of being competitive.  Acting like I don't care about winning when I know there's no chance I will win is still a form of being competitive.
• Control.  Yep, love it.  Know it's an idol in my life that God is working on, but I definitely like to be in control and always have.  *There's also a high probability that if you know any bossy, first-born girls, they may grow up to be teachers.  It fits both their natural gifts and interests, a win-win.

However, one way I am not like Monica is her culinary side.  I neither enjoy nor excel at cooking.

For better or for worse, these traits are a part of who I am.  I've seen both the positive and negative effects of them in my life.  Might as well embrace them though and "try to use them for good" because I don't think there's much chance of them changing!  Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go tidy up my kitchen...

100th Post

Perhaps it's because I work for an elementary school where the younger children always celebrate the "100th Day of School", but something in me feels like I should acknowledge the fact that this is my blog's 100th post.  I probably wouldn't even notice, except Blogger tells you which # post it is every time you blog.  It seems like I should be writing about something exciting or monumental on this 100th post, but I'm not.  The truth is that more of life is made up of the mundane than the celebratory.  However, it does not necessarily follow that there is not joy in the mundane.

I've always liked this quote by Helen Keller and will sometimes think of it as I go about my normal routine: "I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief task to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble."

In attempt to stay awake on a road trip, a friend and I were recently discussing what we would name our hypothetical bands.  I would name mine "Ordinary Wonder."  Ordinary wonder is all around us; we just have to be looking for it...

'Tis the Season for Weddings

As of a few days ago, it's officially summer again (at least for my school district) aka time to reenter the blogging world and sigh once again over the fact that even without grad school, I'm not much of a consistent blogger during the school year.  That's ok though because while I didn't do much blogging during the spring semester, I did take a lot of weekend trips.  In fact, I left town eight different weekends between New Year's and Memorial Day.  The predominant theme and reason for these travels: weddings.  In March, I went to three weddings in the span of four weeks.  (It would have even been four weddings if two of the weddings hadn't been at the exact same time/day, but in two different states.)  May brought yet another wedding and mini road trip once again.

This might seem a little overwhelming, and it can be at times. However, it was mostly a joy.  A joy to see dear friends marry godly men and be truly excited for each of these new marriages.  A joy to see how each couple weaved so many personal elements into their celebrations.  And my personal favorite, a joy for the sweet reunions with old and far-away friends that weddings provide.  Here's a recap of my "Wedding Season - Spring 2014":

3.1.14 Cassidy + Kyle: an absolutely perfect Tallahassee day with the high hovering right around 70 degrees, Skyping our friend Kate in the Philippines so she could also "be" there, a reception on the lawn including corn hole and contra dancing, conversations with beloved & wise women from my home church, and a bicycle built for two get-away

3.15.14 Karen + Joseph: a cool but beautiful day in South Bend, IN with snow still on the ground, a ceremony where the bride and groom helped serve us communion, a party complete with Mexican food and pie (after all, they did get married the day after Pie Day) and some of the funniest and sweetest toasts, and the best reunion with a lot of my CFCI/Fresnillo teammates

There were even Mexican cokes :)

So life-giving to be with people who understand the Fresnillo part of my heart

3.22.14 Claire + Eric: a lovely warm evening in West Point, MS, a wedding marked with laughter right from the start, great musical selections during the ceremony including the theme from Anne of Green Gables (love this!) and a Sandra McCracken song, lots of special guests including some of Claire's 7th grade students, and a great day trip with home group friends

5.10.14 Ali + Eli: an overcast day where the rain thankfully held off for their "Wedding in the Woods" at Perry Lakes Park in rural AL, a blue-grass band and dancing, amazing hand-drawn invitations/maps & field guides by Ali, good friends from near and far, and the perfect exit for this outdoorsy couple: canoeing down the Cahaba

Loved seeing Jennifer, my dear Bham friend who now lives in Montana

Edgar

A few weeks ago, I received a message that Edgar had died a few days after a tragic car accident in Fresnillo.  He was about 14 years old.  At first, I was full of shock and disbelief.  It didn't seem real, especially being far removed from it here in the U.S.  After a while though, the grief and tears set in as I tried to wrap my head around the fact that mi querido Edgar is gone.

Edgar was one of the kids in our Club ministry, and he was also a part of my academic resource class ÉXITO.  The second oldest of four boys, he always had a special place in my heart.  He struggled a lot as a student and like most boys, never wanted to lose face.  Beneath that tough exterior though was a very tender heart.

One of the hardest parts of Edgar's sudden death is that I don't have the comfort and assurance of knowing he's with Jesus.  Edgar heard the Gospel many times over the years and probably accepted it, but did it take root in his heart?  From the likes of his recent Facebook posts, he certainly didn't seem to be walking with the Lord these days.  What was really in his heart though?  Was it callous and closed off to the love of God or full of true faith hidden beneath a season of rebellion?  Only God knows.

In a strange way, part of his death is a relief.  I used to frequently pray that the Lord would protect Edgar, especially from becoming involved in the (drug) cartel or being a victim of them.  I hoped he wouldn't fall into the generational sins that are so embedded in the colonia, like alcoholism and abuse.  I don't have to pray or worry about Edgar anymore.  The cartel can't get him.  He is either experiencing the glory of God, or he's not.  If Edgar did know Jesus and his name was sealed in the Book of the Lamb, then maybe his young death was actually a severe mercy that would protect him from worse things.

Ultimately, I choose to trust in God's sovereignty even in the darkness.  I pray for Edgar's family, especially for his mom and his older brother Uriel, that God would use this tragedy to draw them back to Himself.  I pray that I would have boldness to proclaim the love of Christ to those around me.  May the fact that no day is promised not stir me to be paralyzed by fear and sadness, but rather may it stir me to joyful action and to live each day well.

my ÉXITO class (Edgar's in the center, his brother Uriel is on the right)

January 2011

the last time I saw Edgar (June 2012)

Snow Days

If you were not in Birmingham or Atlanta this past week, you might wonder why people are talking about 2 inches of snow like it's a huge deal and even making Facebook albums called "Snowmageddon" or "Snowpocalypse."  After all, can 2 inches of snow really send two metropolitan cities into mass chaos?  The answer is yes.

In attempts to explain exactly what happened, lots of people have posted interesting articles about the events on Tuesday, January 28th, 2014.  The summary is this:

1. We were expecting flurries and no accumulation, not two inches of snow.
2. Nearly every single school and business let out at the exact time.
3. Birmingham and Atlanta have bad traffic even on days when there is perfect weather conditions and staggered traffic patterns.
4. We have no salt trucks here.
5. The snow quickly turned to ice.

All of these factors led to a domino-effect phenomenon that had very far-reaching results.  My own adventure felt quite epic on Tuesday, but I quickly learned that I had one of the most mild experiences.  Here's how it went: 

• 10:15 AM, Tuesday:  My principal announces that she has just gotten the call that we will be dismissing in fifteen minutes due to inclement weather.  (We normally have 2-3 hours notice for early dismissals.)
• 10:30 AM, Tuesday: All teachers report to their assigned spots.  The Special Area/Special Ed teachers have the wonderful fortune of helping load students into their cars in the snow that is continually falling.  Thank goodness I remember to bring my rain boots to school that day though!
• 11:15 AM, Tuesday:  The cars have stopped coming so we go inside the gym where quite a lot of children remain.  My principal dismisses the teachers.
• 11:30, Tuesday: I begin my approximately 3 mile drive home that usually takes me about 8 minutes.  The road is covered in snow and traffic is a gridlock.
• 1:00, Tuesday:  After going less than a mile in an hour and a half, I run into the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market to get food and water.  I continue to inch along and see more and more people on foot.  Abandoned cars are becoming a common sight.
• 2:30, Tuesday:  After precariously driving up several hills that thankfully had more snow than ice on them at this point, I make it home after three hours in the car.  Tired but relieved.
• Remainder of Tuesday: As I read Facebook posts and watch the news, I begin to realize that my three hour commute was nothing compared to what most people are suffering... tales of coworkers whose commutes are 8-10 hours, friends who have to abandon their cars and seek shelter some place, people who walk miles in their "dress clothes", and most significantly, more than 10,000 students that spend the night in schools including a handful of children at my own school.
• Wednesday: The stories go on and on.   Many people are still stranded.  Meanwhile, we watch movies and go for long walks after getting cabin fever while remaining thankful that we have plenty of hot water, warm heat, and no frozen pipes that burst.  Our house is more full than usual with three extra house guests who couldn't get home on Tuesday, plus two of my roommate's coworkers who join the fun on Wednesday night so they can get to work the next morning.  In fact, that night we had 8 people sleeping in our 3 BR/1BA house!
• Thursday:  Things begin to thaw and people get out more.  I venture out to the grocery store in the afternoon and am surprised to get a call that school is canceled again on Friday.  However, there are still several teachers from my school that still had not made it home as of Thursday afternoon.
• Friday:  Today I get dressed in something other than snow pants, work-out pants, or pajamas and put on make-up for the first time in several days.  Might as well be productive and enjoy an extra day off so I run several errands and get things done around the house.

So after 3.5 snow days, I'm actually eager to return to work on Monday morning.  To see my students' smiling faces and exchange stories with coworkers.  To hear countless examples of how people reached out and took care of others during the last few days.  To return to normal routine and life without snow and ice.  Which reminds me...I purposely left my lunch in my mini-fridge at school on Tuesday so that I wouldn't have to worry about bringing it on Wednesday.  Wonder if it will still be good six days later!

Bundled up for car duty!

Once I finally made it past the gridlock...

Just the beginning of the madness for these cars

My good friend & neighbor Cara was out of town and told me to raid her pantry and freezer--this definitely helped feed some of our extra house guests!

Worth the walk!

Blue sky and melting icicles on Thursday