The Kohlmans

While we were in Lyndon this weekend, a neighbor of Barb and Jeff's took some family photos. (Make sure to check my post earlier today to see pictures from Justin's birthday party!) These last two are my favorites.

The kid turned 9 yesterday. We celebrated... (I am a woman of few words today.)

First of all, if you want to get in touch, call Brad until further notice. My phone (which was sent to me less than 2 weeks ago to replace the one that dropped calls) is out of commission. :( I miss communication. Brad has been on the phone with Sprint customer service for the better part of the last hour and a half... Let's just say they're not doing much to try to keep our business right now. Tomorrow is Friday, which is definitely a good thing, especially during the first real week of school. My kids are adorable, polite, mostly quiet. They tell me random stories, like, "We got three bunnies last night. One of them got run over by the four-wheeler, and my dog ate another one. But my dad caught the other three and now they're in my guinea pig cage. It died." Now if only they could figure out how to get to class on time... I love them already - I love them so far. My house looks like this now. And it will for the next nine months. Actually, this is pretty tidy, b...

Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees it, takes off his shoes - The rest sit round it and pluck blueberries. -Elizabeth Barrett Browning

II. Books! Grandma majored in English at Bethel. Though she never actually taught, her love of reading was always obvious to us. As a little girl, I remember going to the Newton library and seeing her working there. To me, that was one of the greatest things about my Grandma (right up on the list with baking) - that she worked in a library. When I was in fifth grade, I started reading John Grisham and Mary Higgins Clark books. Grandma read them right along with me, never questioning my parents for allowing me to read books that were likely not written for 11-year-olds. We talked about whether we liked each one, and exchanged our copies. Of course, my memories of reading at Grandma's and with Grandma go back much further than fifth grade. These books were at Grandma's house. I spent hours with this little series, Sweet Pickles. I have to admit that they are a little cheesy; each one has a moral, like "vanity is bad" from Kiss Me, I'm Vulture . This collection...

Today was the first day with my new kids. Right now, it's difficult for me to qualify. Since it was the first day of middle school, kids had activities in the morning and a shortened class schedule in the afternoon. I feel two as though there were two distinct and separate days. This morning was hard; it's really the part that's been tough for me to process. Our IBB (Interest Based Bargaining - they negotiate our contract with the board) team spent last night working with the board and a federal mediator to try to reach an agreement that we can vote on. I actually went to part of the meeting - mostly both parties met in different rooms, but our IBB team would come out and consult us when they had a proposal or the board responded. I'm glad I went; I learned a lot and felt like my opinion mattered. Classified staff and administration settled their contracts a while ago. They reached an agreement last night. (I don't feel comfortable going into detail here, but you ca...

Two days of inservice down, one to go. Enough meetings already. Kids come on Thursday. I am exhausted but oh so ready. Tonight was "Meet Your Teacher" night. I met lots of kids. I hope they are not offended when I can't remember their names in two days. I also saw kids from last year. How sad that they are not mine again. They will survive. How lucky I am to have a chance to teach and know a few more sweet kiddos. ACMS room 611... Have I mentioned lately that I have the best job?!

This morning I agreed to teach adult Sunday School for a few Sundays this fall. Technically, I agreed to "help lead" adult SS. As the conversation progressed, I realized that this particular phrasing didn't mean what I thought it meant. Oops. The material is Faith Lessons on the Prophets and Kings of Israel ... I'm not sure what to do with it. Not exactly the most thrilling content. I'm feeling overwhelmed. I think I have an idea for how to approach it, but let's just say that the materials do not appear to be designed by teachers or regular discussion leaders. It will take a bit of work. Not only that. I could teach and talk to kids all day long. Adults are way out of my comfort zone. So I did what I always do when I need church help (um, actually, this is pretty much the first time). I e-mailed my sister, the pastor. Sarah, if you haven't checked your e-mail, could you please?! Thanks. But it can be good, right?! I'm a teacher, I'll figure it o...

Warning: Long post, no pictures... also, sorry, this post is mostly vague with a lot of "you" and "someone" and "them" and "they" and "people"... it's the best I can do. I've been thinking about this for a while... So long, actually, that I've worked on this post more than once or twice. I've even composed versions in my head as I fall asleep at night. Brad and I talk about it a lot. I've encountered many, many people who pride themselves on their open-mindedness. Let me just say: Open-minded is not a synonym for liberal. I know lots of people feel this way. I think really they just don't think about it, but it's... something along the lines of "because I hold progressive beliefs" or "because I'm not tied to the 'old way'" or "because I'm open to new lifestyles" ... I'm open-minded. But these same people who pride themselves on their open-mindedness are upse...

Grandma Donna and Grandpa Melvin have been married for 62 years (right, family?). In that time, they raised four children, spoiled many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They also accumulated a lot of stuff. Here they are (yep, it's a picture of a picture - my favorite of them)... My grandparents are moving. (Have moved?! Not quite sure where they are in this process.) They've lived in this little spot for longer than my lifetime. It's still a little unreal that we won't be gathering there for chicken cordon bleu every Christmas, or for Grandma's favorite meal of hamburgers and potato salad. I'll miss it. Since they're moving - to town, meaning Kidron Bethel - they are downsizing their stuff. Sure, there's a lot that went to the new apartment, but there's a lot there: think 62 years. Somehow (maybe because I'm one of the closest grandchildren, and one who most recently moved to my own place) I've ended up with a number of treasur...

A few before & afters... I'm still having a guilt trip about the spray paint I used... Free throw pillows + free and inexpensive fabric = :) New paint and less clutter...

I haven't been able to get this off my mind since I read it this morning. Now, first let me say that I'm not trying to get political here - this post isn't about my thoughts on universal health care or any other government proposals. I am just upset about the way "adults" are handling themselves. In my classroom, there are only three rules: 1. Respect property. 2. Respect others. 3. Respect yourself. (Note the common theme here! Of course, I can't take credit for the idea... thank you, Allen Jantz!) I've found that pretty much any other rule you can think falls into these categories. Seriously. We spend time the first day brainstorming. And I expect my students to abide by these all the time. They must be respectful. They must listen to others. They cannot interrupt. Even when they disagree. Sure, sometimes they forget. Some of them aren't very good at it, so we have to practice. But that doesn't change my expectations: respect at all times. Thes...

I love sugar cookies. So does my friend M. whose birthday was yesterday. She told me she wasn't going to celebrate (she's too "old") but then I promised cookies - they're kind of my thing around here. And I love zwieback. (Okay, small tangent: spell-check knows zwieback. What?! Raise your hand if you love that!) I baked those today with a friend. I'm practicing, in case the whole teaching thing doesn't work out. :) Ha. Like I could spend entire days in the kitchen... and we all know that sixth grade is too wonderful to give up. My sweet summertime is slipping away. But I'm ready to let the few days left slowly slip through my fingers. Especially if I can spend them like this:

We're out of time. And out of energy. (We have to go back to school, after all.) Does anyone know where I could enter to win a backyard makeover?! I'm very serious - and checking HGTV, diynetwork, and Better Homes and Gardens. I have such big dreams for this space... they might be realized in a decade or two. The pictures don't show the half of it: no trees, but lots of holes, crabgrass, weeds. We've decided that the first step of claiming this potential-filled space is beyond us. We're calling in the experts. That's right, paying someone else to do it. But let me explain... in order for our backyard to be nice, it has to be filled in with topsoil and graded so that water runs downhill - and so that downhill = away from the house. Renting equipment for the several weekends it would take us is probably (hopefully) more expensive than hiring someone else. We'll know soon. Sigh.

Okay, I know I just posted about going back to school, but... When did it become August?! Perhaps while I was lazing around in bed this morning. Happy, happy, happy anniversary to my mama and daddy! They've been married for something like, 33 years (?). And they have this to show for it... (because after all, what's a post without pictures!?) Love you both, mucho.