Char's cooking... Get out of the kitchen!!

I'm not a great cook. It's not that I don't want to cook, I just manage to mess it up most of the time. Well I've decided that PBJ for lunch every day in the teacher's lounge is not that great of an idea so I decided to pull a grown-up move and make a casserole that I can split up and bring to school everyday for lunch. So far so good, but it hasn't come out of the oven yet so it has some time to mess up...

I'm feeling much more optimistic today. Yesterday was an emotional roller coaster. My poor cousin Steve was best friends with Josh and he took it so hard. It so weird to see my oldest cousin so sad and just so broken. I'm still having conflicting feelings about the war. I know we're doing good things over there, I know that we are helping, but there's got to be a better way right?

The only good thing about yesterday was getting a chance to see my town in action. The whole gym was full, standing room only. So many fantastic people were there. Mitch Daniels sent a representative, probably good he didn't come himself, we don't like him so much in the region... Although I have to say, Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a press release about Josh and Daniels sent someone else to give a generic speech. Lovely. Joe Donnelly came and made a very nice speech about his time in Afghanistan just two weeks ago. But the most astounding part was the drive from the high school to Pinhook where Josh was going to buried. Pinhook is a beautiful little white church on 2 with a graveyard covered in tall trees and cobble walkways. The police had shut down 2 and 421, both major highways. As we all slowly drove the four miles to Pinhook people working at the business along the way lined the road with yellow ribbons and American flags. Everyone was out of their homes and joining the line of people with their own flags and ribbons. Our fire department had gotten ahold of a giant American flag and had it hoisted on the truck and had it waving over the road. As we drove under it you could see all of the firemen joining the line, all staring at the flag with their helmets held across their hearts. Two bars, one restaurant, and my church opened their doors after the funeral. Tri-Kappas from all over the area had donated food so people could go from place to place eating for free and just being together. It was a truly moving experience, and one that you would only get in a small town. I've honestly never felt more proud to be from Westville.

Temporary Home

I'm home in Westville for a few hours today. Lieutenant Corporal Josh Birchfield died in Afghanistan last week. The story we heard is that he was kidnapped by the Taliban early last week. We got him back but the next day his troop or group or whatever was ambushed and many were killed. Josh got caught in sniper fire. He was two years older than me and we had 3 or so classes together throughout school. But more importantly he was a family friend. His family now lives across the street from my house and he has been best friends with three of my cousins for many years. He would often appear at family gatherings and hang out with Steve, Mal, and Darren. He was so funny and he called me Charlemagne every single time he saw me after he heard Mrs. Swanson say it in our western civ class. "Hey! Isn't that Mrs. G's daughter?" Now he's gone and that's just incredible.

I went to a high school that had less than 200 students in it 9-12. Two of them have died in this war. There are half a dozen of them there now or getting ready to go. 30,000 more troops. Can't we just be done? I don't want to see my high school used for funeral services again. I don't want to see the entire town gathered together, crying again. I don't want to see anymore yellow ribbons tied to the street lamps. Josh will be remembered for his wonderful humor and personality. He certainly died a hero and he has made the whole town so proud of him. But I was proud of him before too, and I'd rather my heros be Superman and Batman.

Student Teaching Update II

So... Student teaching is going fabulously. My profs tell me that this is called the fantasy stage and that it won't last. But I'm putting on my rose colored glasses and choosing to believe that it will. I love my students, they are so fantastic and there are two girls that if you combined them it would totally be me in 7th grade. It's good to know that I would have liked my 7th grade self! Seriously though, I'm excited to see them everyday and it's so fantastic to see kids who normally get subpar grades moving up! And my cooperating teacher and I get along better and better, we're more similar than I had realized and she always backs me up. So far so good. Oh except for that pesky angry parent letter I got last week... That was trouble... Luckily I had the principal and my cooperating teacher on my side!

On to my other life, the one that is rapidly disapearing. Tonight the BF and I are going on a triple date. We have done this before. Not a ton of times, but enough. What is new this time is that Hermione and Ron aren't coming. What?? Herm is like my safe date! Whenever there's a lull in convo we know what to say, I never have to worry about wearing the wrong thing because she and I will coordinate outfit types. We team up to create a good date and a good time for whoever is with us. I'm super nervous for heading out without her!

Week 1 of Student Teaching- Conquered

So week 1 is dunzo. So far it's not awful. I mean I'm busy, I have plenty to do, and the procrastination is not being warded off by my pretending to be an adult like I had hoped. But, it's definitely not as intellectually taxing as constitutional law and it's not as frustrating as comparative foreign policy. However, those little stinkers of 7th graders haven't had their way with me quite yet.

Worst part. Answering to my cooperating teacher. I mean she is a very nice lady, but we are totally different. I'm much more of a big picture person. It is not at all important to me that my students know the percentage of Jewish people living in Israel. I'm perfectly happy with them being able to say, "Um most of them. Duh Miss G." These first couple days have left me very excited to finally teach my own stuff my own way with my own Jonas Brother PowerPoints. I don't do well with someone being in charge of me, I like to fight the power.

In other news I am a cutout machine! I don't think I have ever posted any pictures of my papercuts so I need to get on that. I absolutely love doing them. This summer I was totally inspired by Julene Harrison and her lovely cutouts. I've made a couple that are very clearly inspired by her style but I have finally start to set out on my own and I am very proud of what has come from it! I don't think I'll have any grading tomorrow so maybe I'll start getting some of those pictures taken...

Prayers Please!

I haven't posted in about 100 years. But I recently (as in, yesterday) found out that one of my best friends is dealing with some medical issues right now. She went to the doctors for a routine checkup, and they discovered a very large mass on an ovary. They don't know if this is something to worry about yet or not, many many tests are in the process as I type this. But please keep her in your prayers! This is such a scary thing to me, so I can't imagine how terrifying it must be for her and her husband!

In other news, student teaching started yesterday. I'm going to try really hard to document this insane experience here so I can remember it and so that future teachers can use it as a guide, or perhaps a warning...