Tales from Teaching

So I have a dear friend, Lindsey, who has been writing little tales from her experience as a middle school teacher in an all boys school. Once she completes one, she sends it to me. They are short and hilarious. (She could publish a book.) Being a teacher is a lot like being a comedian except you don't have to work to get your material, it just falls in your lap. When Keith and I were first married, I could often entertain him with my endless amounts of funny material I picked up while at work. Well here is a sample. Names have been altered for protection :)

I was pregnant with my first child. I was VERY pregnant. It was the beginning of December. We were nearing my due date, Christmas, and a long awaited break. I was puffy, round, uncomfortable, and wearing maternity clothes that barely held it all together. Let's face it, I was a blimp. On this balmy, December morning, I stood in front of my classroom and gave my darling freshman students a writing prompt. That is what we English teachers do. We give prompts so students have a chance to write down thoughts. After I had given the prompt, I asked students to share their experiences and writing with their table groups. Up from the back, a hand emerges. It was the hand of Carlos. You see Carlos never raised his hand, and was often off-task. He took a lot of redirection, to put it mildly. I called on Carlos, Lord only knows what he was going to share, but I took a chance.
"Yes, Carlos. Question?" I said.
"Ya, I was wondering when you start getting erections, what is going to happen if you are teaching class?"
"Excuse me? When I get what?" I sputtered.
"You know, erections before the baby comes." Said the all too confident Carlos.
I just smiled, then said, "You mean contractions?"
Then, the rest of the class caught one. They are freshman, what can I say. Laughter. Red faces. Priceless.

You can't make this stuff up. Seriously. Comedy just falls in your lap when you teach.

Now that I am an online teacher, I thought my days of comedy were over. Boy was I wrong. The mode of teaching is different, but the students are still the same. Here is my latest comedy sketch. Again, you can't make this stuff up.

I was teaching class in my online classroom. All the students were chatting away and we were reading a story. See in the online world you have chat and lessons and audio and webpages going all at once. It can be quite an experience. Anyway, I was reading "Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorn. We were running out of time, as always, so I was trying to speed things along. I began to read the last paragraph faster. While I was speedily wrapping up the story, I look over to see the chat box. You have to keep an eye for behavior issues even in the online classroom. I noticed a comment a student made.
"Mrs. Hill is raping this story."
Upon seeing this comment I immediately called attention to the student and replied, "What in the world is that supposed to mean?  I was raping the story? That is hardly appropriate."
Another student chimed in and said, "I think he meant rapping."
"Wow. This just got awkward." Piped another student.
We pretty much decided that the importance of spelling was crucial in the online classroom. We had to move on. I bet the face on that kid was priceless. Too bad we were online. I would have loved to see his reaction. Great times.

Tales from teaching is a new blog topic I will experiment with as the stories present themselves.

Thanks for reading.

Goodbye Letter to Topeka

Dear Topeka,

I have had a hard time believing we are leaving Topeka, not because I saw myself staying here forever or I grew up here or something, but it was comfortable. It was home. It was where my son took his first steps. It was where my daughter took her first breath of life. It was where Keith and I grew to love each other more deeply through life's trials, where we grew as parents, where we had a church home with some pretty cool friends. It wasn't until today, that I realized, I am leaving. Tomorrow. I leave Topeka tomorrow. We move not only our things, but our life. We can't take the people who have shaped us. And it was today, I was reminded of how lucky and blessed we have been here even if I can't see what is ahead. I have my best friend by my side and God's hand as my guide.

I am sad to leave, to be honest. I am sad because I had some pretty sweet people in my life. I had a great running friend, a good friend in Christ. I will miss you. You know who you are. I had some friendships that dwindled, but there are no regrets and always fond remembrances. You also know who you are.

I will be leaving Topeka, holding sweet memories in my heart. Times I grew as person, a wife, and mother.

Here's to new beginnings, new adventures, and hopefully our journey will be just as blessed as it has been here.

Love you Topeka; Love you friends. Time was never wasted here.

Take time to enjoy where you are... and invest in what you have in this moment.

Trusting God with our future.

I will see you on the flip!

Candice

Moby and I are Best Friends

I have a Moby wrap. It is an obnoxiously long piece of fabric that I gave up on once Calla was a about 3 months old. Well, in desperation to get my floors cleaned while soothing a screaming-at-the-highest-decibel-possible baby I once again pulled it out from hiding and watched a YouTube video refresher for the best way to position the baby and tried it again. To my surprise, baby Calla was knocked out in seconds. I actually was able to scrub the floors, on hands and knees mind you, and vacuum all while she was sleeping. SLEEPING NOT SCREAMING. I can now say I know how the Natives felt baby wearing while working. It really does work. I am now wearing Calla pretty much all day. It keeps her content, and I can still get ish done. Not fashionable you say, non-sense. I say this is the new Chihuahua trend. Soon to hit red carpets everywhere. Only kidding. Babies should not be accessories. Let's be serious. Ha.  

I Gave Up

As you know, I took the challenge to blog every day in July. Well, let's just say I failed. I quit the week of my birthday for various reasons. First, I was tired of the topics. Too personal. Discuss struggles? No thanks. Second, that week I was wrapping up finals for my on-line classes and prepping for our upcoming training that was in Manhattan the following week. Not too mention I have a demanding 5 month old and a rambunctious 2 year old. Exhausting to say the least. No time. I was a busy girl. Now that I have a lull in my schedule, (on-line classes pick back up on the 12th) I decided to write and confess that I fell short on the challenge but I am not giving up blogging. So, my plan is to post weekly. Give you all an update of my new schedule as I balance being a mom of two and teaching from home. Should be interesting.
Thanks for not judging me too harshly.

Day 14: Ten Things That Make Me Happy

This is in no particular order, but here are 10 things that make me happy.

1. Spending time with God, reading his word, and praying. This is when I feel most peaceful and satisfied.
2. When Calla does her morning stretches and her coos and smiles. Just holding her and looking at her make me so full of love and happiness.
3. When Chip surprises me with a kiss and a "bear hug."
4. Laying in bed with my son, Chip, in the morning as he is waking up. He smells sleepy and he is warm. It is one of my favorite moments in my day.
5. When Keith and I sit together, alone, and talk. He is my best friend and sharing life with him makes me happy. I love our time together.
6. Christmas. Anything Christmas. Songs, presents, trees, food... Make me happy.
7. Running outside. Something about being outside. Looking at the sky. I love the feeling I get after too.
8. Nap time. When the house is quiet and I can curl up on the couch with a book. Pure joy.
9. My two favorite treats: Coffee and coffee dates at Starbucks or ice cream and ice cream dates at DQ.
10. Clean house- no dishes in the sink, vacuum lines in the carpet, tile sparkling, bathrooms cleaned. I just love for things to feel clean. Then I can relax.

Day 13: Public Apology

 To thine own self be true - William Shakespeare, Hamlet

I would like to apologize for not always being true to myself. Sometimes I do things to please others, and I end up over-committed, stressed, and an overall disappointment to myself and others. Or sometimes I fall into the pressures of focusing on things that aren't important because others around me are focusing on those things: vanity, materialism, mother-of-the-year, etc. One of the lessons I am learning currently is that peer pressure can go both ways. Standing up for what you believe may feel lonely, or you may lose friends, but there is always someone watching you that may be influenced by your actions. Peer pressure doesn't have to be negative, and it most certainly doesn't have to go with the crowd. I need to stay true to myself and let what is important to me guide my decisions not because I feel I have to, or someone will be mad at me if I don't. I am too old to play the popular game. I am sorry I haven't always been true to myself. I have fallen into the trap of doing things that I shouldn't for all the wrong reasons. It has left nothing but regret and wasted time. That is not how I want to live my life. So what I am going to do is try to be more conservative with my time. More honest with myself and others about how I feel, and press on. Don't fall into the pressures of others. Be true to yourself.

Day 12: What do you miss?

Robyn and I before Prom. Junior Year?

The prompt for day 12, yes I am behind, is what do you miss? Since it is summer, there is one thing that comes to mind. I miss Robyn Turnovsky (Seipel) and spending time with her at her pool. Robyn and I grew up together. Not in the same house, but as neighbors. She was my first friend. From birth, we grew up next door to one another. Although our fights were epic, we loved each other. To this day, I love Robyn. Some of that is met with regret for the time and distance between us, but she is one person I know would take me in at my worst, and I would do the same for her. She is someone I trust and love as a sister. Her family, was my family. Her fridge was my fridge. :) There were many times I ate over there. The best part of my childhood would be our summer days. We would spend all day by the pool. Robyn always the lobster the first few weeks, and me the one with too much sun oil. (Her dad did not like us to wear oil. Sorry Jim.) Our summer days were priceless. Robyn's friendship shaped me as a person. She was always honest and dependable. I would do anything to go back for one more day and sit with her by the pool... eat Sunchips, drink a soda, and lay on a raft. That is what I miss the most right now. Ah, to be young again.

Day 11: Sell Myself in 10 Words or less.

The audience is not clearly defined for this one. So this is hard. But here you go...

Loving, caregiver, with a strong will and sensitive heart. (9 words).

Day 10: Most Embarrassing Moment

I don't just have one moment that stands out; I have a moment from each point in my life. So here ya go. One from high school, college, and finally, momhood.

1. Most Embarrassing high school moment.
We we were at an away basketball game. My friends and I thought we were cute. We were going to cruise the concession stand for cute boys. Since we were the cool kids, we sat at the top of the bleachers. I, of course, wasn't paying attention to my steps as we walked down, and I tripped over God only knows and landed on a group of thugs. I am not being funny. Seriously, there was a group of rough guys who seriously wanted to fight me because I may or may not have scuffed up their FUBU jerseys. Let's just say, I didn't get any hottie's numbers.

2. Most embarrassing college moment.
I was a lifeguard in the summer during college at Manhattan Public Pool. Mainly for the tan. While working one hot, July day, I was making my merry way to the stand when my MALE manager said, "Hey, Candice, your string is showing." Not quite sure what he meant, I looked down to see if the drawstring on my bathing suit bottoms had popped out. Nothing. I thought, "What is he talking about." He called for me again. I went over to him to see what the fuss was all about. He smiled and said, "Your tampon string." I. Was. Mortified. Here I was, walking around the pool with THAT hanging out. I wanted to die.

3. Most embarrassing mom moment.
This story is sweet. It takes place on Mother's Day. Keith took us all to the park for a picnic and some fishing. It was a beautiful day. As we were getting ready to leave the park, I went to the truck to feed Calla. As I finished up, I noticed Keith walking with Chip back towards the truck and Chip was crying. I felt bad for him, so I had to get out to see what was the matter. I put Calla in my other arm to open the door. Next to me was a man loading a bike on his bike rack. We said, "Hello." As I shut the door of the truck, I felt a cool breeze in a place that hasn't felt a cool breeze in a very long time. I looked down and what do you know, I didn't put my boob away. There I was, in the park, with my boob out. I hurried and covered myself but the damaged was down. I am sure bike-guy had one heck of a story for his friends when he got home. Oh brother sauce. 

There you have it. I hope you had a great laugh. :)

Day 9: Moment in My Day

My son is obsessed with my phone.  He loves to walk around and take pictures. I love it because I get to see the world through my two-year-old's eyes.

Photo of my Chip

We made a fort this morning, where I was hoping to occupy him for a while so I could get some work done on the computer. He watched a little of Monster's Inc. He then was distracted by his tractors and was soon up and playing. The fort again was occupied by his dad when he was home for lunch. The two of them snuggled and watched some news. Chip kept leaning over and giving his dad kisses. It was the sweetest thing. We have had a pretty busy day. I have had lots of work things going on, and Chip has done some serious playing. :) Next up, after naps we are walking the dog. Hopefully, it won't be too hot.

Day 8: Advice

I am late with this one. This was yesterday's topic, but better late than never. I had gotten into town later than expected from Keith's parent's house. I spent all day yesterday getting unpacked, paying bills, getting organized again for another week. No time for blogging...
I have a few simple pieces of advice that I have learned along the way. Here they are (some more serious than others):

1. Unpack early after vacation.
If you unpack soon after you get home, it makes the week better. I have found that I can get more done if I am not digging through the suitcases all week or tripping over them as I walking from the bed to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

2. Fold your laundry as soon as it comes out of the dryer.
Folding laundry as it comes out of the dryer and hanging the "hanger clothes" promptly makes putting laundry away easier. I have been employing this method recently and realized I have less wrinkles in my shirts, and I am more efficient at getting laundry done.

3. Think before you speak.
Sometimes I have said things and immediatiely regretted it. Have you ever said anything and wanted to stuff those words back in your mouth quickly? Yes, me too. I am learning to harness my tongue. This is not always easy, but necessary. Sometimes what we say can cause a lot of damage and mistrust. You can damage a relationship, if not forever, for a long time. So when angry or irritated, if you love and value the person, don't respond with words you will later regret. Your words can be forgiven but not easily forgotten.

4. Take it God.
When worried or facing a difficult challenge don't ever underestimate prayer. It is hard to think, for me personally, that prayer will be effective, but every time I have relied on God and prayed about whatever I struggled with, He has followed through. Matthew 21:22 "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

5. Make your own baby food.
It is fun, cheap, and healthy. My son eats ANYTHING. He always has, and I attribute that to my culinary skills. :) I loved making his food, and can't wait to make Calla's. We saved sooo much money too. It is unreal what baby food costs. All you need is an oven, food processor, and ice cube trays. No  special equipment needed. Your baby will thank you later. ;)

6. Walk a mile in someone's shoes. (Cliche I know)
We have all had different experiences in life. We have different families, lives, and struggles. Sometimes it is hard to understand what someone is going through, so instead of passing judgment or speaking harshly about them or to them, put yourself in their shoes. Not everyone has an easy life and some stages of life are easier than others. For me, I feel that having two small children is pretty difficult to manage. But it won't last forever, and it certainly isn't the worst it could be. Before you judge, put yourself in their shoes. And if you still don't get it, walk another mile. (That is from a song. Drew Holcomb. "Another Man's Shoes." Great song.)

Day 7: Something I Fear

Today’s prompt for the blog was something I fear most. I thought about all the things I fear, and I kept going back to a novel I just finished this summer. I recently read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It depicts Kabul, Afghanistan culture before and after the Taliban have taken over the government. Without giving too much of the plot away, in case this is a book you will read someday, the Taliban has taken over Kabul. Upon taking control, they want to “clean” up the city by killing the lower class citizens. The Hazaras. They murder them for no reason. Take them out of their houses and shoot them in the head. A genocide of sorts. After they murder these families, children are left orphaned, if they are left alive. These orphans are left to live on the streets or in rat-infested orphanages where some are sold as sex slaves to the Taliban men. The widows are not allowed to work under Sharia law, so they are left to beg to feed their children. People are stoned to death at sporting events as a pregame show. Houses are taken from people, women are whipped in public for speaking too loudly, men are flogged for cheering at a soccer game, soccer players are told they can’t wear shorts because it is not proper so they must wear pants. The people are not allowed to eat meat. Only the Taliban can have meat. People don’t even flinch at seeing a dead person hanging from a beam in the public square.  

Having to live in a nation that no longer recognizes the individual and controls every aspect of my life. This is my worst fear.

This novel haunts me. I cannot believe there is this kind of evil in our world, but I know it exists. I am humbled after reading this novel. Whatever hardships I have suffered up until now are nothing compared to the hell these people and kids go through everyday. I didn’t grow up in an orphanage without my family;I was educated, and I had freedom to have a career a family, a home. These are things that are unheard of to the refugees in Afghanistan. The book says, “Perspective [is] a luxury when your head [is] constantly buzzing with a swarm of demons.” These orphaned kids no longer have a childhood. They are raped and beaten and starved. I thank God I was born in America. My heart breaks for these people. 

More about the author or novel click link below:

Click Here 

www.marshall.edu

 

Day 6: What I do

What do I do? This question is pretty hard right now considering I was a teacher in a "brick-and-mortar school" for seven years and just recently left that job to stay at home with my kids and teach for an on-line high school. So what do I do, without giving you a job title? Well, I get little ones up and fed and sometimes we make it out of our pjs. Then, I plan lessons that are interesting. Teach them to students, who I can't see, through an online program called Blackboard. It is definitely a different way to teach. I like it. I have students from all over Kansas. Some are doing on-line school because they are sick. For example, I have a student who is battling Leukemia. I have other students who are musicians, rodeo queens, international tennis players, and normal kids that just weren't getting their needs met in their local high school. I grade online and return assignments online. It is a "Techy" job, and I like it that way. Youtube is my friend.  Recently, I used a really cool video to introduce Shakespeare's King Lear. 
When I am not teaching or grading or prepping for school, I am doing chores to keep my house up and running. For instance, I have recently taken up ironing. This was something I NEVER did. Now I do. I feel pretty housewifey these days. I do laundry each day, so I am no longer trying to cram it in on the weekends. I feel much less rushed and life just seems simpler these days. I am thankful that I am still teaching, while being able to take care of the little ones and my husband. I am much happier, and I think my family is too.

Chip's excited about it. This is my job :)

Day 5: Shout out to a Blogger Friend

This one was really hard, that is why I am writing it now. It is called procrastination; my go-to mode when faced with difficult challenges. But alas, I can no longer put it off. I have decided the person I would like to send my love to is Lindsey Hill. She is not a fellow blogger (yet) but she is the one who got me started blogging. Lindsey is my sister-in-law. But before we were sisters through marriage, we were friends. To this day, she is the one person I can tell anything too. No judgment. Honest criticism. A hug when needed. She once sent me a magnet that reads, "The stormy stuff in life isn't as scary when we ride it out together." (That is probably not the exact words, but pretty close.) We have relied on each other during some pretty difficult times in our lives. I don't know what I would do without her. She is my frister (Combo of friend and sister).
We met when Keith and I first started dating in the fall of 2002, then became "pen pals" so-to-speak through email. We got to know each other pretty well writing back and forth. After we started having children, we have always dreamed of ways we could stay at home with our kids and meet up for coffee and lunch and pedicures. Sad thing is, she lives in St. Louis and I, in Topeka. We were of course dreaming to think that lunch dates and pampering were possible with little ones and the distance between us, but it was always fun to talk about. One of her ideas to stay at home was to write. She suggested to me that we start a blog. Lindsey was all like, "How cool would that be?" And I was all like, "What is a blog?" Once I realized blogging was cool, I decided to join the blogging world in 2011. HeartSoulTummy was born. We have yet to start our blog, but she was THE one to get me started with this type of writing. So, Thanks Lindsey. Love ya, Fris.

Lindsey and I after the Color Run. 2012.

Lindsey and her two beautiful boys.

Love this one. She is such a natural beauty. Pictured here with her youngest baby boy.

Day 4: My Favorite Quote

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My favorite quote is from Jesus. He tells us in Matthew 6

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]? 

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Image from svcov.org

I struggle a lot with worry. I worry about everything; I even make up things to worry about that aren’t even going to happen. This summer, I have really tried to get into God’s word each day, and I can’t tell you how much peace it has brought to me. Rather than worrying about things, I am learning to pray, to trust God, and to do the best that I can do on my part. God wants us to need Him. When we let God take over, great things happen. I can assure you!

Why is worry pointless? Just as the verse says, "can anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" No. My pastor, Mark Doss, says that "worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair doing a whole lot of work to get no where." No one is guaranteed tomorrow and when we spend all day worrying about tomorrow, we are missing out on today. 

You have heard the saying, God only gives you what you can handle. That is true. He gives you enough time and enough to do for the day. You are the manager of your time. You control what you chose to think about. So knowing that God has provided you with the tools necessary to tackle whatever comes each given day, you are creating undue stress and ultimately defeat if you invite tomorrow’s troubles into today. We aren’t meant to deal with tomorrow until tomorrow. We are equipped for today alone. 

Now, I am not saying don’t plan… but I am saying don’t worry about everything. Sometimes trusting God with your tomorrows is the best way to free yourself from stress. Things just work out better that way. It is your job to deal with today’s troubles and decisions. “Tomorrow will worry about itself.” We only have one life, don’t miss out on today worrying about your tomorrow.

Carpe Diem… seize the day!

Day 3- Things That Make Me Uncomfortable

1.     Calling people I don’t know- I have had to call parents to schedule orientation times for iQ Academy. This is so awkward. I am not confident. I fumble. I am downright uncomfortable talking to people I have never talked to before.

2.     Grown men on playgrounds- My child was playing on the playground the other day, and there was a man just hanging out in the tower at the top of the play equipment. Just chillin’. "No old man. Get down." This is making me uncomfortable.

3.     Holding Wall Squats- I freakin’ hate these but love them at the same time. I get so uncomfortable; I want to punch someone in the face each time I am done.

4.     Walking down the feminine product aisle- First it screams.. “I am bleeding you know where.”  Sick. Not only that, but there are other products there. KY Jelly, Condoms, Pregnancy tests. It is just awkward. I don’t like it one bit. But, it is what it is.

5.     Wearing socks to bed- I have to have bare feet in bed. I get so uncomfortable if my feet can’t be free while I sleep. It drives me crazy.

6.     Having a dirty house- I can not be at peace until my kitchen is cleaned, my house is picked up, and my bathrooms are clean. I will not be able to relax until these things are done. I am just too uncomfortable. Or maybe I am too crazy...

There you have it… things that make me uncomfortable.

Day 2: Something I am Good At

Cleaning your bathroom, in 15 steps

When I saw that today's topic was something I was good at two things came to mind: cooking and cleaning. Talk about 1950s housewife. I kind of felt bad about myself for a minute, then I remembered that it is that time in my life. If you asked me this same question when I was 16, I would probably say waltz jumps (figure skating move) or booty dancing. But not today folks, it is all about cleaning and cooking great meals in this house.
Ever since I can remember, cleaning was a Saturday routine. My grandmother kept a clean house, and still does.  I don't just mean clean, like it looks nice, I mean clean like the walls are scrubbed, cabinets washed, faucets polished, and floors scrubbed by hand. Guess who got the cleaning bug gene? This girl. Although, I am not on "crazy" level like Meme. I just don't have the time. So, today, I am going to tell you how to efficiently clean your bathrooms so that it doesn't take lots of time, but you get everything SUPER clean.

You will need:
Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner
Toilet Cleaner
Windex
A Dobie sponge (or another abrasive sponge)
Two dry towels
Two wet towels
Broom
(The reason for two is because you don't want to touch anything that has touched the toilet to other areas of the bathroom. Yuck.)

Directions:
1. Go into bathroom. :)
2. Line toilet bowl with cleaner, shut lid.
3. Sweep floor. 
4. Spray Windex on mirror. Wipe with dry towel.
5. Spray Scrubbing Bubbles (SB) on counter. Wipe with wet cloth. Make sure to get faucet.
6. Polish faucet with dry cloth.
7. Wipe cabinets down with wet cloth, then go over with dry cloth.
8. Wipe all surfaces of towel rack and TP holder down the same way as the other, no SB needed.
9. Spray SB on all surface area of toilet. Epecially the handle and the underside of the seat. Let soak.
10. Move on to the shower. Spray SB all over. This is where the Dobie comes into play. Scrub, scrub, scrub. Especailly scrub the bottom of the tub. Feet can be dirty things and bacteria can settle in the little grooves of the fiberglass. Rinse shower with a few cup-fulls of water.
11. Polish faucet and shower head with dry towel 'til sparkling.
12. Next, wash the toilet wash the outside first with the other wet cloth.
13. Wipe the inside with sponge. Dry with other dry towel. (The sponge can no longer be used. Needs to be disinfected before the next cleaning day.)
14. Now, it is time for your floors. You can simply use water, or hot water mixed with a few splashes of bleach. Use the first wet towel, the one you used to wipe the counter, not the toilet, to scrub the floors. Make sure to do EXTRA scrubbing around toilet. Get those germies.
15. Then, use the first dry towel to dry the floors. This will ensure that they won't dry streaky.

Voila! Beautiful bathroom.

Take a hot shower and enjoy the cleanliness.
And remember when bathrooms are clean, all is right in the world. Or is it just me that feels this way?

Day 1: My Life in 250 Words

 Since committing to the "Blog Everyday in July" challenge with some friends, I have been dreading today. The topic is "Story of MY Life" in 250 words. I hate talking about my life story. At my age and stage in life, I don't like telling my life story because I find it uncomfortable to share details about childhood. So this is a very basic overview of my life...I hope the other entries for July will be more interesting than this, but this is a start. 

 

I was born, Candice Kay Axtell, on July 17,  1984 to Barbie Buchanan and Robbie Axtell. A year later, my parents married. 4 years later, my parents divorced.

Fast forward....
I was raised by my grandma Meme because sometimes life isn't perfect and parents aren't always great parents.

I attended Kansas State University to become a teacher. I had always wanted to be a teacher... I wanted to change lives. I wanted to be Michelle Pfeiffer in "Dangerous Minds." ("As I walk in the Valley of the Shadow of death, I take a look at my life and realize there's nothing left..." you know the song.)

I met my husband freshman year. I saw Keith Hill at the rec center and believed him to be the cutest guy EVER, gave him the lamest pick up line, and told him to meet up with me that night at an All U party. He stood me up only because the party was rumored to have been busted... likely story, Keith. But, we met again at a football game and were inseparable from then on. We married in 2006 after I graduated. God knew what he was doing... We were meant to be. :)

After we were married, we moved to Salina where I taught high school English for 5 years. We had our first child there, Charles Kent (Chip). After 5 years in Salina, we moved to Topeka, Kansas for a job change with my husband's work. Since living here, we have added to our family, Calla Lane was born 4 months ago. She has been a blessing, but a lot of work. :)

This is life thus far... can't wait to see what the future holds!! It is all in God's hands. So far, so good.

To sum it up in a list of life's greatest moments... 
my grandmother stepping in to raise me, my salvation at 18, my marriage to my best friend, and of course, the birth of my two children. 

Keith and I in 2005

Our first hike up Mt. Holy Cross where Keith proposed.

Our stay in Vail to celebrate our engagement.

Mr. and Mrs. Keith Hill

Our little bundle, Chip

Chip, 3 days old.

Chip when we moved to Topeka

Such a sweetie face. Chip.

My lovely grandma, Meme.

Calla, day 1 of life.

Chip and Calla meet for the first time.

Our baby girl... what a blessing.

Blog EVERYDAY in July

Sooo… I took on a challenge to blog EVERYDAY in July. Each day has a different prompt.

I am not sure how I feel about this, but I am excited because I will be doing it with friends. Here goes it. 

July 1^st will be the very first post… it is my life story. Be prepared.

Thank you to Randi, author of Bring on the New ( http://bring-on-the-new.blogspot.com)

See you in July!

Work-At-Home Mom a.k.a WAHM

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Ever since Chip was born in December of 2010, I knew I wanted to be at home. It was so hard to leave him after my maternity leave to return to finish the school year at Salina Central High School. After that school year, my husband was promoted to district manager with Propane Central. This new job relocated us to Topeka, Kansas. I got a job, because there was still not quite enough money to keep us out of poverty if I stopped teaching to become a stay-at-home mom. I resolved that this would be fine. I could do it.

I was hired to work at Washburn Rural Middle School.  I worked there two school years, and met some great friends in the process. (God knows what He is doing; sometimes it takes me a minute to believe Him but it all works out.) Working the past two years afforded me great friends, memorable students, and it gave Chip the opportunity to make great friends and memories at his in-home daycare. Our daycare provider, Cathy or “Khaki” as Chip calls her, was a great mentor for Chip. She taught him manners, sharing, cleaning up after making messes, and how to trust other adults. I wouldn’t trade those years of learning for anything.

However, the desire to be a stay-at-home mom was rekindled the moment I discovered I was pregnant with Calla. I began to bring it up to Keith, and he wanted to make sure we prayed about it and did everything possible to make sure we could afford to do it. So I got busy looking into options. I applied for an online teaching job with K12. This opportunity had Keith excited, but it almost seemed too perfect. A job I love to do, that I went to school for can be done at home! And, I can be with my kids? It was a “have your cake and eat it too scenario.” I thought, “There’s no way. This is too perfect.” I had applied previously with this company too, after Chip was born, but obviously didn’t have any luck. I began to feel discouraged with this job option once again when I heard nothing. So, I pursued other avenues. I went through all the steps to get our home certified to do an in-home daycare. This wouldn’t be ideal, as it is not guaranteed income, but it would allow me to help provide good care for families, give Chip some playtime with others, and my family some added income. Before Calla was born, and the deal was sealed on the daycare, I received an email from Manhattan-Ogden school district. They were looking for an English teacher, immediately. I was 8-months pregnant (they would never hire me, I thought) but I interviewed for the job anyway, and two weeks later was filling out papers for HR.

I began to teach a freshman English course in February. I continued to teach during my maternity leave. (Yes that was a daunting task. But I made it). I guess I did something right, because I was asked to teach full-time (which means 5 live hours of teaching a week) for a little less pay then I make at my current “brick and mortar” teaching job.  I am just simply amazed at the doors that opened, and at the doors that were so easily closed. God is great, and He does answer prayers. Truly, this was all Him. I am excited to see what this new career opportunity has in store for me as a professional, as a mom, and as a wife. I may not be your traditional stay-at-home mom. I still have a career that I love, but I will be a work-at-home mom. I feel that this could turn out to be the best of both worlds. I get to be with my kids every moment of their little lives, all while doing what I was born to do, which is teach. I will keep you posted.

Calla Lane

In the time since I last posted our nameless baby was born. We finally decided on a name. Calla Lane. Calla Lilies are my favorite flower and Calla also means "beauty" in Greek. Lane, as you know from a previous post, is my great-grandmother's maiden name. There you go. This poor girl will have a story to tell about how many names she had before she was born. It was quite insane. (Sorry Calla).
Now, some people are interested in the "birth story." If you are not one of these people, don't read on. But if you are... well here you go.
Saturday, March 2nd, Keith got off of work from the base. He had drill that weekend. We decided it would be fun to go to the mall to buy a new PJ set for the hospital, and I was hoping the walk around the mall would help kick-start labor (and it did). We got home, put our son to bed, and got ready for bed ourselves. My husband jokingly said, "You are having this baby tonight." I laughed and said "No way." At this point in pregnancy, it felt like the baby would NEVER come. I was doubtful and thought I would just be pregnant forever. Well, about an hour after heading to bed... around midnight... I had some light cramping. Nothing huge. I went and "Googled" my symptoms because I didn't know what to expect. With Chip, I was induced so I didn't know what labor felt like when it started on its own. The pain got a bit stronger, and that's when I called the hospital staff. They said it sounds like labor but to be sure I needed to time them for about an hour, and if they were regular then I could go ahead and come in. I went and woke up Keith, who was only pretending to sleep. I think he was freaking out. Actually, I am sure of it. We both were a little nervous and not quite sure this was really happening. It was close to 2 AM. We called his mother, Nita, to come stay at the house with Chip while we went to the hospital to have our baby girl. When we got to the hospital, I had to stop several times to endure the contractions... there was no doubt that this was labor. The security officer at the hospital took one look at me and said, "No need to sign in, just go." He clearly didn't want to have to deliver a baby. They admitted us at Stormont-Vail birthing center here in Topeka, KS. I spent several hours in the triage room because they wanted to make certain I was in active labor. Well, I was and it didn't take long. By the time they got me to the birthing room I was 6 cm and progressing fast. I started to push around 8 cm... not because the doctor told me too but because my body said too. It was just too hard not too. Sorry doc. I pushed a few times before my doctor, Dr. Teply, arrived for the final push. With that last push, our baby girl arrived in this world. She was 7 lbs of perfection. Seriously. Instantly my heart was full of love for her and even more so for her father, Keith. He was amazing during the birth. I had no pain medicine because I am "weird" like that. It was an amazing experience. One worth doing again, just not anytime soon. ;)

Calla Lane Hill

Born at 7:31 AM on March 3, 2013

7lbs, 20 inches long.

No Name

Well, the baby has no name. We decided Lane was a great middle name. We just weren't sure about it, at last, as a first name. Why is naming little girls so hard? Is it because every girl name I hear reminds me of someone I have known or have taught? Charles had his name upon conception. Charles was a part of our planning when we dated. That was the name of our son without a doubt. But a girl? We had a name (which I won't reveal right now) but now Keith has doubts. So, I guess we will have a short list of names and just have to see her when she arrives. Can't anything be easy these days? Apparently not. I am sorry to be so fickle, but a name is a big deal! So here's to making a list. Checking it twice. Feel free to toss out suggestions, we may need them. Serious. Like really serious.

Image from freeprintable.com

New Year- 2013

Well the world didn't end in 2012. So here we are, 2013, and so many things to be excited about. Keith and I will be expecting our second child, our first girl, in March. We have decided to name her Lane Madison. Not to be called Laney. Lane is my great-grandmother's maiden name. It is simple and sweet. My great-grandmother passed away a few years ago, but still managed to get me a present this Christmas. Let me explain. This Christmas, my grandmother, Meme, gave me a pillow that my great grandmother, Vera, had cross-stiched for me. She had found it with some of my her things and it had a note attached that read, "Make this into a pillow for Candice." Special, Right? The pillow has a girl, resembling Bo-Peep, and she has blue eyes (just like me). It is going to go in Lane's room for sure. Such sweet memories.

There is so much to look forward too in the coming year. I am excited to get started on my New Year's Resolutions. They are as follows:
1. Run a half-marathon
2. Get out of pesky credit card debt using the Money Map by Crown Financial. We have made a pretty good dent in our small but annoying debt. Here's to getting it GONE.
3. Be in God's word DAILY. I am reading the whole Bible in the coming year. This will be the second time through. This time, studying the commentary also. (I actually started this after talking with my cousin, Mike, at Christmas. It has been great so far, and I feel that I am actually going to learn a lot.)

That is it.

image from: christianfilingcabinet.com
This is the book we are using to get out of debt. Such a GREAT resource.
Highly recommended.

I hope that the new year brings new challenges with sweeter rewards. Happy New Year.