What I learned the Day I Marched

I don’t like confrontation. I’m usually the one at the social event who finds a way to change the subject once a controversial topic comes up. It’s not that I don’t have an opinion on whatever issue you are discussing. I do. I’ve just lived long enough to see good people stop being friends with other good people just because they voted differently than them. I don’t want lose my friends so I bite my tongue.

The last few months my  state has been in a huge debate about public education. I felt strongly about the topic of educational funding and I wanted to participate.

Picture of teacher walk out

So, I marched. I participated in some of the events at the AZ State Capitol and the Stand Out to Stand Up event on Baseline Road.

I felt a change when I went to the Capitol. Yes, the rally was fun. The crowds had energy but the change inside of me was more than the change in the state budget.  As I stood there with my sign and red shirt, I decided it was okay to talk about the hard topics.

Changing the subject may not always be the best idea. Especially if it is something you believe in.

You may have a different opinion than me on the Red For Ed movement. That’s okay. We can have an open and honest dialogue with each other and still be friends. That’s what I learned the day I marched.

 

 

 

A poem about a busted water pipe

Pipe pictureThis is the girl who was peacefully sleeping

Unaware that disaster was silently brewing.

This is the pipe that leaked in a wall

Where water was collecting  for who knows how long.

This is moment the girl walked in the room

And felt a river of water and saw a gushing typhoon.

This is the valve in the front of the yard

That the girl pulled and then sat by to cry really hard.

This is the husband who was out of state at the time

Who got the phone call that the house was now slime.

These are the fans and the bills and  demolition holes

This  whole experience is vexing to one’s soul.

(A Note for my family and friends:  Nate and I were able to file an insurance claim. We  will be able to fix the damage. I am always happy to accept homemade dinners though.  Just kidding about dinner. You are not obligated to cook me dinner. I know how to order pizza.  Life is never boring around here. I hope I never see water again. It’s a mess to clean up.)

 

 

 

Joyful Moment #305

As most of you know, I have been tracking my joyful moments the last few years. I write them down in my little journal. The really funny ones I put on this blog.  I just had joyful moment #305.  I was doing my weekly shopping and I saw this.

Raisin Bran

That flake is gigantic. It looks a menacing alien who is trying to take over the Earth. It made the joyful list.

 

Happy Birthday To My Little Blog

Birthday blogHappy Birthday, little blog.   Five years ago today, I started this adventure called my13daychallenge. It’s been fun to share the comings and goings of my life. Here are the top six blog posts based on the number of readers. It’s crazy to realize that I’ve had over 8,000 views on my bog. At least, that is what the statistics page tells me. It is possible that 4,000 of those views are from my Mom and Dad, but I hope that at least one blog post has inspired someone somewhere to reach for their dreams.

  1. My Back to School Photo
  2. The Turtle and the Hare
  3. Boxes are not just for little kids
  4. Wonder Woman: Meet SJ
  5. Be Brave and Get Rid of the Dress
  6. Life Lessons from my Garden

Happy birthday, little blog and thank you to all of my  readers. Go be awesome today, dear readers.

 

Back to School Photo 2017

I love this time of year. There is so much excitement in the air. Paper and pens go on sale. I get a new group of young minds to mold. All of my friends post cute back to school pictures on social media. Here’s my back to school photo. This is what the teacher looks like after the first day of school.

It’s going to be a great school year! Cheers to the 2017-2018 school year.

Holiday Rant

It’s July. This should not be happening at the grocery store.

Candy corn

Way too early!  We are skipping over all the other important holidays like Back to School Popsicle Day on July 25th and National Hot Day on August 26th. What! You have never heard of Back to School Popsicle Day? You poor thing. How did you survive your entire life without eating frozen sugar water on a stick every July 25th?

Popcicyle picture

The candy display really made me think. How often have I missed the present moment, because I was too busy waiting for some future event?  It’s really easy to say that you will be happy when a specific thing happens. I remember doing something like that in college. I told my roommate that my life would be complete when I had a cute boyfriend, a great job and $250 in my checking account. Guess What? Those happy events came and went and somehow my happiness bar had been raised. I didn’t appreciate the moment when I got that cute boyfriend, great job and $250 dollars. It’s okay to have goals and work on them just remember to keep those eyes open. You don’t want to miss the beauty in the every-day moments all around you.

Mother Teresa has an awesome quote that really sums it all up. “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We only have today. Let us begin.”King Solomon in the Old Testament said it this way.  “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8)

Be present. Be here. Live in your season. You can plan for tomorrow but remember to live in today.

(In case you were wondering, National Back-to-School Popsicle Day is my own creation. I made it up as excuse to eat a treat. If any of my dear readers work at the popcycle company, you can send me a royalty check for the free advertising. After all, tomorrow is Send Amee a check day.)

Awkward Love Week

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’ve decided to share embarrassing, awkward and funny moments related to dating and crushes.

heart-picture

I was 15 and head over heels for a young man named Jeff in my Sunday School class. (names have been changed so I don’t get sued)  I would stare at Jeff when the lesson got boring.  Jeff always sat by the window next to the blue curtains and I would just imagine that one day he would turn around and say hello to me. One day Jeff did turn around  and said in front of everybody, “Amee, stop staring at me”. I was mortified but I couldn’t let a cute boy think I was actually staring at him. So, I smiled and said, “I’m not staring at you, Jeff. I’m admiring the cute pattern on the blue curtains behind you”. Awkward!  He just rolled his eyes. I wanted to disappear and a bunch of the kids in the Sunday School class laughed.

What’s your awkward love moment?

Technology Fast Update

My two week technology fast came and went. It was a good experience. I didn’t accomplish all the things I had planned, but I still enjoyed the respite from social media. Here’s a picture of me not wanting to wait to put my swimming suit on before I play in the water.

dscn5297

Time Travel

DSCN4767

Every time I eat beets, I think about being five years old and eating dinner at Grandma Adams’ house. It’s amazing how food can act like a time machine.

Where do you travel when you eat certain foods?

 

The Perfect Vacation

Walking

I had a perfect weekend. It was the type of vacation that I wish I could bottle up for those days that aren’t so fun. I spent time with dear friends and family just enjoying the simple things in life. Celebrating my cousin’s graduation. Eating Indian food. I love Indian food. Going for a walk around a lovely park. Laughing. Loving life. Singing Beatles songs where the Beatles actually sang their songs.  Listening to stories and telling a few of my own. I love stories. Eating more food. Can you tell I like eating food with the people I love? Watching people get chopped on a reality TV cooking shows. Going to a book store and just browsing. Getting back in time from vacation to attend church. Laughing some more while viewing the photos. And not checking my work e-mail for 3 whole days. It’s amazing what not checking your work e-mail messages does for your emotional health. This was a perfect vacation.

Cousin Carrie

If you haven’t taken a perfect vacation for a while, my challenge for you is to go take one. Every body needs a day off.