Mistaken Identity

Sometimes I'm mistaken for things I am not. Of course, being short causes me to be mistaken for a kid at school. And for some reason I get mistaken for a store worker all the time, at any store. Somehow I am rummaging around the store, when someone comes up to me and asks me where something is at. I try to help them, but when I'm not positive about where something is they look at me and say, "You don't know? Don't you work here?' I'm not sure how I look like a store worker, but okay, maybe.
However, a little while ago I was truly mistaken for something I'm not. I was talking with a teacher about a book I had just read. We started wrapping up the conversation, and then she exclaimed "Hey, you're an environmentalist, I have just the book for you." I turned around to see who had just come into the room. When I didn't see anyone, I quickly turned back around and smiled. As she continued talking about how beautiful the book was, I wondered how she thought I was an environmentalist. Hmmmm. . . . I mean I try, kind of, um. . .I have cloth grocery bags, I love nature and um. . . hmmm. . . Then I prayed she wouldn't follow me back to class, because a picture of the overflowing trash can with students' papers in my room came to mind. Someone took our recycling bin, and not being an environmentalist, I hadn't replaced it. Then I thought about all of the Arbor Day and Earth Day contests that I never had my students enter. An environmentalist hmmmm?
Now, I would like to say I often hear conservative radio show hosts talk about how teachers are brainwashing children about global warming and save the earth campaigns, but I must say it is the other way around. Just a few weeks ago, my students wrote and gave speeches. They could write on anything they wanted. Usually, I get speeches about sports, fashion, and music. This year over three fourths of the class talked about global warming, saving the earth, saving the polar bears, and helping animals. They made a plea to recycle and save energy, Being a supportive teacher, I decided if it was that important to them I would take their challenge. Not only did I find our class recycling bin, but I also added another one by my desk. Then I even took the challenge to turn off one of the lights to conserve energy.
The light conserving argument had started a few months earlier when my class came running in and told me how we could save the earth by only turning on one light. I of course stared at them and shook my head. "Ummm guys why do you think they put two sets of lights in here?" I answered my own question. "Because you need two lights to see." I turned off one light. "Look you're all fuzzy. I can barely see you!" I exclaimed. Then I flipped back on the light and that was that. However, with their enthusiasm from their speeches, I started class the other day with only one light on and the blinds open. It actually wasn't that different. They came in and someone flipped on the other light. I smiled and said, "Your speeches inspired me, let's try only one light today." "Yeah!" They cried. "We're going to save the polar bears!" And so now, every time someone goes to throw away something, they cry, "Put it in the recycling basket, Save the polar bears." (Seriously, they are really worried about those polar bears.) And so while, I'm not sure that we're exactly saving polar bears, we are being more energy and recycling conscious. Why just the other day I rinsed out my grape juice bottle and threw it in the recycling bin at home. Which may cause people to mistake me for an environmentalist, and maybe that's okay.

What Matters Most

Sometimes we are jarred out of the hectic rush of life, to reflect on what is most important. After Christmas, I found myself doing a lot of reflecting. We spent most of our time with my grandma in the hospital where we looked through old picture albums, shared favorite memories, laughed at treasured stories, listened to the Tennessee Waltz and My Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown, and just stayed with my grandma. It was really hard for me to say goodbye to my grandma, because I knew I would miss her a lot. However, I knew she had lived a good life and would be reunited with her loved ones who have passed on before.
As I reflected on my grandma's life, I realized what I loved most about my grandma didn't deal with prestige, awards, or degrees. In fact, what I loved most about my grandma had nothing to do with stuff. It was her staying up late and gabbing with me, teaching me how to make molasses candy, saving me from our dog, not yelling at me for breaking her door, and listening to my stories. It was the sound of her laugh, the peace from her prayers, and the love she freely gave.
Reflecting on my grandma's life makes me want to be more like her. She was someone who was always there at important moments. Someone who spent more time listening and less time talking. Someone who spent more time with those she loved and less in the attainment of worldly things. My grandma taught me many lessons in her life, the most important were seen in her example. In my rush of life, I plan to slow down a little and be more like her.

Christmas All Year Long

I know it is February, but I believe Christmas should be in your heart all year long. And so, here is Christmas:


We started our holiday with the beauty and warmth of the Mesa Temple Lights.


Then we celebrated a few December birthdays.


Of course, we spent a lot of time looking for elf tracks.


We played in the beautiful snow.


We did a little tubing.


No holiday would be complete without yummy food. This gingerbread man was lightly garnished with a sack of M&M's


We brought back the family Christmas Crunch tradition, and life was good.


Everyone benefited with my niece's desire to get extra credit in French class. The yummy yule log.


My brother of course, put on his chef hat and gave us a good dose of healthy veggies. Add a little honey, lots of greens and limas, a few cashews, and presto!


We all loved our fun gifts. One of grandma's favorites was her Pepsi free.


We had big smiles for the holidays.


And that was our wonderful Christmas!