Heartbroken

Once a week, many of the kids at my school are given a two minute reading fluency test. The students are given one minute to read a grade level passage and, when they finish reading, they are given one more minute to retell everything they can remember about what they read. The students' scores are based on how many words they read correctly in that minute and how many words they use correctly in their retell.

Last Friday, the fourth grade students read a passage entitled 'Cat Care'. The following sentence was a challenge for many of the students..."A trip to the vetrinarian each year can keep your cat healthy." Retelling this part of the selection went something like this...

Jessica* said, "You can take care of your cat every time you send him to the vegitarian for his shots."

Blaine retold with, "They need to go to the vegitarian to stay healthy."

Isaac concluded his retell by saying, " And they have to go the vegitarian."

Today, I was teaching my third grade group and one of the vocabulary words was terrace. Even after I had introduced the word, reviewed its meaning, said it correctly many times, and had the students repeat it correctly two or three times, all six of the students had difficulty pronouncing it. They kept reverting to tourist and, sadly, terrorist (which probably speaks volumes about the age in which they have grown up).

While these experiences can be amusing on the surface, deep down they break my heart. There are so many children who cannot read at grade level and it seems that more and more students are coming to kindergarten without the experiences and exposure to print that they need in order to be successful in school.

For many people, reading comes naturally. But, it is actually one of the most complicated and difficult things that a child must learn how to do. A fluent reader simultaneously and automatically will understand and anticipate language features such as syntax (word order) and semantics (word meaning). They will identify words instantly, and immediately apply meaning to those words. They also have the ability to pull understanding (comprehension) from what they read, and they do all this while maintaining enough metacognition (thinking about their own thinking) to understand when something does not make sense. (Something the students reading about cat care did not have).

Learning to read is a progression from the ear to the eye to the mouth. In other words, children must hear fluent reading before anything else. It absolutely, positively begins with reading TO. Students cannot become readers until they have been read to. This can happen at home and at school, but if it doesn't happen at home before they start school, those children are at a severe disadvantage. The average child begins school with 1500-1700 hours of reading at home. The low children only have 25-50 hours of reading at home. What a monumental difference!

Teaching reading is my life for 8-10 hours every day at school and at tutoring. I teach kiddos who labor with this ESSENTIAL life skill and will struggle to read for the rest of their lives. I know that my blog audience is not filled with people who need to be preached to about the importance of reading to their kids. These are already parents who care. And I don't need my blog to be consumed by this topic the way the rest of my life sometimes is, but teaching reading is such a huge part of who I am and why I have been put on earth. It is so difficult to watch children struggle with the embarrassment and humiliation of being illiterate.

*Student names have been changed.

Purpose

The sermon at church today was about having a purpose for our lives and trusting in God to provide the "stuff" that we need as we live out our purpose. In the world we live in, people are "hyper skimming along the surface of life like waterbugs." We do so many things that it can be difficult to "dive in" and go deep with any one thing. Our pastor challenged us to edit our lives based on purpose and priorities and live a relaxed life with purpose and passion.

After church, Nathan and I went out for lunch and were discussing the sermon as I opened my fortune cookie. Imagine my surprise to read, "The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose" on the white slip of paper! I was struck by how God speaks to us in so many ways. Sometimes we hear Him in obvious places- like in a sermon at church. Other times He speaks to us in subtle ways- like on a tiny fortune inside a cookie. I anxiously waited for Nathan to finish his rice and crack his cookie open to read his own fortune. "What amazing insights would God have for him?" I wondered.

Minutes later, Nathan finally finished his meal and, at my request, read his fortune out loud...

"Did you remember to order your take-out also?"

Baby Showers

There is something about baby showers. Normally, I don't feel an immediate urge to jump into motherhood (although there is definitely a 'sooner rather than later' urge!), but when I am at a baby shower, I want a baby more than ever. Today I went to a shower for my former teammate and current friend, Erin, who is having a baby girl in March. The desire to be a mom was stronger than ever. Is it the sage and lavender nursery? Is it the yellow rubber duck that takes the temperature of bath water? Or is it the flower shaped pacifier complete with a stem that attaches to the onesie? Maybe it's all three and more...

One Day = $720 Million

(Thanks for sending this, Terry!)

Quote of the Day

Washing and drying dishes at the kitchen sink (right next to the perfectly good dishwasher), out of the clear blue Nathan announces...

"I'm glad I don't have to do homework anymore."

(insert short pause and painful memories)

"Homework was THE WORST!"

First Graders Respond...

...to reading the book, Animals in the Rainforest.

"I saw a horse dancing in the circus before... with a tutu on!" said Karmel.

"Well, I went camping next to a poisonous tree and got really sick," shared DeAndre.

A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve

This novel brings seven former schoolmates together after more than 20 years to attend a wedding at an inn in the Berkshire Mountains. The tight bond held by this group of friends was shattered years earlier when one of their own died unexpectedly. The blossoming relationships and potential of each of these central characters jackknifed with the death of this friend, and the wedding reunion gives the characters an opportunity to seek out a resolution for the paths they did not follow.

This is the second book I have read recently in which the others who have read it with me have been dissatisfied. This book was chosen as our December read for my book club. Many, if not all, of the other book club members were turned off by the unhappy marriages and questionable moral behavior that plays out in the novel. (But, then again, this is a church book club!) I, however, was struck by this book. While I did not completely understand the motivation of the characters, I was moved by their strong inner turmoil and their struggles to overcome weakness and temptation.

Despite the setting (which is very appealing to the imagination), the book, like the other Anita Shreve novels I have read (The Pilot's Wife and The Weight of Water), is shrouded in sadness and regret. The characters are consumed with unhappiness and a feeling of general unease. A member of my book club shared that she felt the characters in this novel were underdeveloped. I believe Anita Shreve intentionally writes her characters to be vague. Like real people, they are complicated and troubled. The reader must infer understanding of the characters through their obscure thoughts and behavior.

The most interesting part of this novel for me was the story within a story. In the book, the character Agnes, a lonely classmate pining for a former teacher, is writing an historical fiction short story about the Halifax disaster. The explosion that occurred in the city of Halifax in Novia Scotia during the winter of 1917 parallels the tragedy of 9/11 in this book- the characters in the novel are reuniting merely two months after 9/11. The story of Innes and Hazel (as written by Agnes in the novel) is told during and after the Halifax disaster and their relationship mirrors the others in the novel in it's tempting impossibity set against a recent tragedy. Prior to reading this novel, I had never heard of the Halifax explosion and I was saddened to learn of the deaths and injuries that occurred during that significant historical event.

This book is not a good one to pick up if you are looking for a lighthearted read. While the novel is easy to follow and won't take long to finish, a melancholy feeling permeates every word and may linger for awhile after you put the book down.

Rumor Has It...

"My mom says that Spiderman is real," stated Alejandro, matter-of-factly. "She says he lives in California."

"Really?" I responded.

"When I was little she saw him jumping on buildings."

Moral Dilemma: The Poll Results

I have a friend who has recently returned to college. To save a little money on textbooks, she buys her books online. She ordered a textbook for her math class after reading a description that included the statement, "may contain some of the answers." Thinking this meant that some of the problems had been worked out in the book itself by a previous student, she wasn't concerned. When the textbook arrived, it was the teacher's edition.

To buy another book costs money.

Approaching the professor means that the professor might wonder about every assignment she completes (even if she doesn't use the book).

She's an honest girl but math isn't her favorite subject.

What should she do?

Poll Results:

Immediately get rid of the teacher's edition and buy a new textbook- 0%

Explain to the professor and find out if you can use it-25%

Buy a student edition, but keep the teacher's edition as a "resource"- 66%

Keep it and use it and hope the professor doesn't notice- 8%

Who Is Your Presidential Candidate?

http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460

This link will have you answer 14 questions and then tell you who your political views are most similar to. It was interesting!

(Thanks, Erin!)

Legacy

My experience with youth group growing up was less than perfect. I had fantastic youth group leaders (with whom I still have a relationship today) but, like many people, I never quite felt like I "belonged" with the very small, tight knit group of kids my age that went to my church.

Our church here in the Springs has an amazing youth group, Legacy. I can tell that some group dynamics occur that make it harder for certain kids to fit in (which makes me sad) but, for the most part, they are a pretty amazing group.

Legacy meets every Wednesday night. I believe this night is a combination of fun activities and some kind of book or Bible study. Approximately every three months Legacy will be in charge of the worship service. The brave youth will be the worship leaders and the music team and also do readings, act out skits, collect offering, etc. What a great opportunity to regularly give these kids the experiences they need to take on leadership roles in the Mennonite church!

Every Christmas the youth group puts on a Christmas play. This is quite an amazing endeavor that requires hard work from many participants beyond just the youth group and it's leaders. One talented church member writes the script every year and it is always quite the show! This past Christmas the play was a modern day Christmas Carol complete with a Bob Marley character representing the traditional Marley (dead friend of Scrooge). Every other year, in addition to the Christmas play, there is a spring dinner theater, serving as a fundraiser for the convention trip. This past spring we enjoyed a James "Blond" mystery on a cruise ship. We were greeted at this event as if we, ourselves, were about to embark on a cruise ship journey. We were given leis and even had our picture taken as we "boarded" the cruise ship! We have quite an impressive group of actors at the church and these experiences serve as wonderful opportunities for these kids to get used to performing in front of an audience. I can only wonder how much less painful Speech class at EMU would have been had I had more experience in front of large groups!

Currently, the Legacy group just completed a 30-hour fast. This fast served as a reminder to these kids of the millions of people who are starving around the world. During this time, these kids took on the persona of a real person, many with disabilities. They participated in competitions with one another in which they had to work with their disability (blindness, loss of limbs, etc.) They also built 102 crosses to represent the 102 children that die every minute because they do not have enough food. During the fast the students were given 60 dollars with which to buy as much food as they could at the local grocery store to donate to a soup kitchen.

'The Amazing Bible Race' is a challenge in which each person in the Legacy group is encouraged to read the entire Bible over the next year and a half. Throughout this process, these kids will participate in competitions, challenges, and other 'Amazing Race'-like activities that test their knowledge of what they have read. Their parents have been encouraged to participate in this adventure with them.

Recently, this group has purchased an impressive coffee and espresso station with which they have been serving lattes, mochas, and espresso to the church members prior to the service. This is also a fundraiser for the Legacy group and it has given these kids the opportunity to learn a skill- making and serving "fancy" coffees- that may help them acquire work in the future. I hear Starbucks treats their workers well!

Anyway, every week I am more and more impressed with the way Beth-El has invested in it's youth and I wish that all Mennonite churches would put that kind of time and energy into supporting their youth groups!

A Girl After My Own Heart

I picked up my three third graders for group this afternoon. I meet with this group right at the end of the day. As we were walking down the hall to my office, Savannah announced that she was extremely tired.

"I can't wait to go home!" she said. "I'm going to take a hot bath and lie down on my bed."

I grinned to myself at the front of our short line.

"Then, I'm going to have a cup of hot chocolate," she added.

As we entered my office and settled into the chairs, Savannah finished her thought.

"And maybe I'll order a pizza."

Now, that's a third grader who knows how to spend a Friday evening!

Cold Weather Blues

Things I hate about the cold weather:

-slippery roads
-freezing fingers and feet
-a ridiculous increase in the utility bill
-static
-wet floors
-dry skin
-getting up in the morning
-scraping the car windows
-finding a place to keep my gloves when I'm not wearing them (that I'll remember later)

and worst of all...

-the way the deadbolt on the back door is warping so badly that we are forced to stand outside after work in the shivery cold while the snow gathers in our hair and on our coats, with our hands full of school bags, a purse, a laptop, cell phones, glasses, a copy of A Wedding to Remember, pizza and breadsticks, and, trying to hold on to the gloves we were just wearing, use our stiff, frigid fingers to twist the key to just the precise angle so the door will swing free and we can finally get inside our warm home.

Hmmmm?

Today I was teaching a reading group in a first grade classroom. We were reading a book called The Feast and were discussing the definition of a 'feast'.

"It's when you eat a lot, like Thanksgiving!" says Hunter.

"That's right," I confirm. "A feast is a huge meal with lots of food."

In the middle of this discussion, DeAndre interrupts to ask the unspoken question on the minds of many teachers...


"Is the principal the boss of God?"

What Were They Thinking?

http://www.gazette.com/articles/students_32041___article.html/school_holmes.html

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

My new computer!










My Bear "Claws"
(as I like to call them)






Raising Sand
Robert Plant/Allison Krauss
It's fantastic!

Amish Friendship Bread

This is an advertisement.

On Saturday, my friend, Liz, gave me a "starter" for Amish Friendship Bread. I love the idea of Friendship Bread and the feeling of connectedness I had to the people who had been a part of making this bread, but Amish Friendship Bread is (minimally) a 10-day process. Liz had held on to the starter for most of the 10 days. I "adopted" it on day 9 with the instructions that I needed to bake the bread on Sunday or Monday. Being the procrastinator that I am, I (reluctantly) baked the bread on Monday night, despite my intense desire to go to bed.

Part of the process of baking it is making 3 new "starters." I have had the starters since Monday, which means it is Day 3. They will have to be baked one week from today (give or take a day, I think). Even though I am not a baker, the Friendship Bread turned out wonderfully, and it is delicious (and I can only attribute that to the people who came before me in this process)! If you live near me and want a starter, just holler. Otherwise, there might be a few of you receiving loaves of bread in about a week!

Delightful

My kindergartners are currently learning how to blend sounds. To help with this skill, I give them a board with three boxes on it. Then I give them letter cards (one for each box) and we practice blending the sounds in words like cat, hit, and wet.

Today, on the boards, we were blending the sounds in the word bat. Their chorus of little voices (and minds) were working so hard- "b-b-b a-a-a t-t-t......bat!"

After successfully decoding the word bat, I asked the students to give me their 'a' card. In turn, I handed each of them a card with the letter 'i'. I have the students place the 'i' card in the center of their boards.

"Now, let's say each sound together," I instructed.

"b-b-b i-i-i t-t-t."

Alejandro's little forehead wrinkled in concentration. His head moved closer to the board in front of him. His voice got quieter.

"b-b-b i-i-i t-t-t," he whispered.

Then again... "i-i-i t-t-t." (He tends to forget the first sound when we are doing this activity).

"i-i-i t-t-t," he says again, trying so hard to bring the sounds together. Then, suddenly the creases of concentration disappear, his eyes light up, and he jumps up in his seat.

"IGLOO!"


I am so good at my job.

Quote of the Day

The most successful teaching lessons last 22 minutes, the exact length of the average TV sitcom. -Rules of Thumb website

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

This is the title of a book I just finished this morning. This book seems to be getting a lot of attention in my circles lately. I have been reading it with (at the same time as) some friends (both near and far) so we could compare notes and discuss our thoughts about it.

Eat, Pray, Love is about a woman in her early thirties who spends a year of her life (after suffering from depression and a nasty divorce) traveling in three countries- Italy, India, and Indonesia. Her time in each country focuses on one aspect of life- Italy: eat, India: pray, Indonesia: love (thus, the title). The author (this is her true story) is an interesting, vivacious extrovert who makes friends easily wherever her travels take her.

A lot of people with whom I have talked have not enjoyed this book (although some have). The author's religious practices were a little "new agey" and her lifestyle choices perhaps a bit questionable. I, on the other hand, did find the book to be enjoyable. I agree that the author is not somebody that I would be close friends with (although she reminds me SOOO much of my friend, Tina!), but her eagerness to travel, her search for God, and her introspection are all admirable (not to mention her ability to meditate despite incessant bites from hovering mosquitoes).

What stood out to me more than anything else were the questions Elizabeth Gilbert (the author) is challenged with early in the book. She is married and thirty and has no desire to have children. She wonders if something is wrong with her. She questions her place and role in society. She wonders about her sanity. Having, myself, married a little later in life, there was a point when I had to face similar questions. I did want to get married and have children, but meeting the right person to travel that journey with did not come quickly or easily for me. It seemed to be something that was beyond my control and so I had to face the very difficult task of searching out my "role" as a single person in a family-oriented society.

This book might be more relatable for people who can look past Elizabeth Gilbert's approach (if it does not match their own), and see, mirrored in her journey, their own search for answers to the big questions in life. For people searching to know themselves and their God more deeply and for people who are seeking their path in the world, this book might be a reflection of their own struggles, even if they don't completely agree with everything the author believes in.

Finally, the part of the book that has left me and my friends speculating is located on page 104 in the paperback. On this page, the author is with a friend in Rome and they are discussing how every city has a single word that can define it, and that word also defines most of the people who live in that city (i.e. according to the author, New York City's word is 'ACHIEVE'). Her friend explains to her that if your own personal word does not match the word of the city, then you don't really belong there. So, the questions we are left with are...

What is your own personal word?

What is the word of the city in which you live?

and

Do they match?

Boulder

Yesterday, Nathan and I drove to Boulder for my monthly brunch and Nathan's coinciding monthly "Men's Group" (or music exchange!) with Nate, the husband of a friend in my "Brunch Bunch".

My first memory of this town was when Shera and I drove to see my favorite author, Jodi Picoult, speak at the bookstore downtown. Believing her book signing to be in Denver, we arrived to the Boulder bookstore on that starry night frazzled and late and I still managed to be excited and impressed to hear Ms. Picoult speak about her novels. As she signed mine, I asked her what her own favorite novel was that she had written (Salem Falls). I remember that evening with fondness.

Another visit to Boulder was with a bit more reluctance. My friend's Kelly and Tim were thinking of moving there and so I went with Kelly and her son one weekend to check out the city. Trying to look at the city through the critical eyes of a person who might one day live there, I was also pushing away feelings of sadness to have good friends move away (even if it is only a couple of hour's drive). Kelly and Tim moved to Pennsylvania instead. Too bad it wasn't just a move to Boulder.

As we drove down Pearl Street for this visit, I was struck by the unique aura of the small town. Boulder is a city like no other. With girls walking down the street arm in arm in front of quaint shops with names like Happenstance: Books and Curiosities and college students carrying stylish book bags from one campus building to the other while actively engaged in intellectual conversation, it's hard to resist Boulder's charm. In this town, there are men sporting full beards in their Eddie Bauer winter scarfs eating breakfast in front of large picture windows overlooking the sidewalk. Even the Subway Sandwich Shop looks quaint and classy!

I love visiting Boulder, even if it's always brief.

In THE MENNONITE This Month...

Only as a Mennonite could your wedding announcement end up in a magazine, and you have no idea how it got there.

Thank You, Target

With all the snowy, cold weather lately I have been craving hot, summer weather (which I prefer anyway). At this time of the year, I like to try to convince myself that summer is right around the corner. I just need to say a great big 'thank you' to Target for helping my disillusionment. Today, I walked into the store and was greeted by rows and rows of bright, new bathing suits. I could practically feel the physical tug of their presence. As my eyes traveled longingly over the various fabric combinations of nylon, lycra, and spandex, my peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of something else that made my heart flutter... cotton t-shirts and tank tops! Ohhhhh, how I love summer.

The Munroe Melt

I don't usually post recipes on my blog. This might be the first one! This was a tasty, EASY meal that Nathan just loved! He is a big fan of sandwiches in general, so you can slap some meat and cheese between two slices of bread and he's a happy man. I, on the other hand, am not as easy to please when it comes to sandwiches. But this one was pretty great! And it, literally, took less than 15 minutes to put together and cook! Note: It would probably be great served with soup or a salad, but we had it with pepsi (an unusual treat for us when we are not eating out) and that was good, too!

The Munroe Melt

Ingredients:

1 crusty sandwich roll, split

1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard mayonnaise blend

2 slices deli turkey

1 slice Swiss cheese

2 slices deli ham

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise

2 slices deli roast beef

2 slices tomato

1 slice Muenster cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. Open the sandwich roll onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread the mustard-mayonnaise blend on one half of the roll and top with turkey, Swiss cheese, and ham.

3. Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on the other half of the roll and top with the roast beef, tomato slices, and Muenster cheese.

4. Broil the sandwich open-faced until the cheese melts and begins to bubble and the ham begins to crisp around the edges. Remove the sandwich from the oven and put both sides together.

Snow Day?

Nope. Business as usual, despite the perilous roads... and the delay at the nearby military base. Everybody knows that the little kuddies (and big school buses) in the community can brave the snow and ice! But, let those big, strong military men wait it out.

I'm a wimp. I made Nathan take me to school today. After yesterday's homebound adventures, I was still pretty spooked. He doesn't know it yet, but he might have to drive me all week!

Snow... again.

It was a rough drive home today. The weather got bad this afternoon. And fast.

Five minutes before they were supposed to arrive, the mother of the boy I tutor on Mondays called to say the roads were pretty slippery and we'd better just cancel tutoring.

Unconcerned, I finished up the e-mail I was sending and then began to gather up my bags (one for school, the other for tutoring) and my purse. As I walked outside I was mildly surprised by the amount of snow that had accumulated since I had last been outside (an hour earlier).

Still not worried, I brushed the snow off my car and headed out of the parking lot. It was when (stopped at the light at the end of my school's road) my car wheels refused to push my car forward on the frozen blacktop that I began to panic a little.

Swerving this way and that as I attempted to make it through the light before it changed back to red, I was forced to let my car go where the ice took it until I was able to recover control and get back on the road.

Further down the street from school, a hill (one that had strangely never appeared on my ride home from work before) began to emerge from the road in front of me. Perhaps these hills are inconsequential during the bright, sunny days of spring or even the windy, colorful days of fall, but on a darkening winter night with snow falling for miles, a hill like this looming in the distance becomes a terrifying endeavor.

In a flash of brilliance, I quickly decided to take a right turn and travel down a different street to the warmth and comfort of my home. This road, I deduced, was flatter and busier thus making the usual hassle of traffic a bit of a comfort. For surely the roads more traveled would have less ice.

Wrong.

Two near accidents, four phone calls to Nathan, and one run-in with the roadside curb later, I pulled into my back driveway, tears of relief streaming down my face. As I laid my head against the cold steering wheel, I thought of the valuable lesson I learned today... Sometimes the back roads are safer simply because, when you really don't want to spend the night at work and you have no choice but to go where the ice takes you, it's better to let it take you where there are fewer cars to crash into.

Ignoring my school bags in the back seat of the car, I turned off the engine, grabbed my cell phone, and hurried inside to wait anxiously at the back door for Nathan's safe arrival.

Snow day tomorrow?

(Sadly, this is not a dramatization.)

I Love Dinner with the Girls!

When I moved to Colorado Springs, I had a job at Springs Ranch Elementary School teaching 4th grade. I interviewed (over the phone) for this position and two others prior to the move. I didn't even want the job at Springs Ranch as much as I wanted a position at a different school. Fortunately, I got offered the job at Springs Ranch two hours before the other offer came.

It was at this school that I made some of the best friends that I have today. Even though most of us no longer work there, we meet for dinner once a month and I look forward to it so much. (We still desperately miss the two who can't be with us for these dinners anymore.) Tonight we may have overstayed our welcome at On the Border. We gathered that the waitress was a little peeved when she started banging the plates together as she gathered them up. Too bad she had already collected the sizeable tip!

Get Your Morning Started Off Right!

A Regular Bookworm

At his aunt and uncle's for
New Year's Day brunch...










At Wahoo's Fish Tacos
waiting for his food...







and (finally) falling asleep on the
couch at 2:00 a.m!



He just can't put the book down!

New Year's Resolutions

The ultimate question that haunts me at the beginning of every new year... Should I have New Year's Resolution(s)?

I decided to read the Bible in the year 2007. There are quite a few sites with a schedule you can follow so that you can finish in a year. I made it half way through February before I gave up. That was a great resolution and I am disappointed in myself for not keeping it. Although I am interested in trying that again someday, I am not convinced yet that I could do it this year when I couldn't last year.

I think I should have a resolution or an aspiration for 2008 that involves personal growth. Like reading 50 books (to broaden my horizons) or praying more regularly (to develop my relationship with God) or keeping a gratitude journal (to alter my outlook on life). But, if I'm honest with myself, I'm not convinced that I will keep up with any of those.

So, this year I will have two simple (and yet demanding) resolutions.

1. Now that Nathan and I have taken the Financial Peace class and are operating on a cash-only budget, my resolution for 2008 is that we will continue to follow a budget and manage our money well together. I want to continue to build savings and live below our means.

2. I have inherited another huge pile of boxes containing treasured pictures. Between Nathan and I, we have FAR too many loose pictures that are begging for a home. My second resolution for 2008 is to catch up on my scrapbooking. Yes, this is a lofty goal, but I know that I can do it because I have in the past. When I decided to move to Colorado Springs, I had 4 years worth of pictures stockpiled and I managed to move from Virginia to Colorado four months later with only completed scrapbooks- a feat of which I am still proud today!

The difference between these resolutions and the others I considered is the amount of motivation I have for them. When I think about these two resolutions (versus the others I have considered), I am more excited about them.

And, most importantly, for those two aspirations I have a plan.

2007 Books

In June I started keeping better track of the books I'm reading and here is the list of books read from June-December, 2007.

-Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (December, 2007)
-The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (December, 2007)
-Gone For Good by Harlan Coben (November, 2007)
-The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl (November, 2007)
-All She Ever Wanted by Barbara Freethy (October, 2007)
-The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards (October, 2007)
-The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (July, 2007)
-Fiona Range by Mary McGarry Morris (July, 2007)
-Wringer by Jerry Spinelli (July, 2007)
-The Father Factor: How Your Father's Legacy Impacts Your Career by Stephan B. Poulter (June, 2007)
-Now You See It by Allison Lynn (June, 2007)
-Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer (June, 2007)

Books Nathan and I read together:
-The Honeymoon of Your Dreams by Walt Larimore, M.D. & Susan A. Crockett, M.D.
-The Father Factor by Stephan B. Poulter
-Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
-Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan
-Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park
-The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
-For Men Only by Shaunti & Jeff Feldhahn
-For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn