The Kohlmans

I saw hope today, in the eyes of my students. This happens every time there's some winter weather forecasted. And, unfortunately, in my year and a half on the teaching side of this life, it's always ended in disappointment. Today, though, I told some of them to do a snow dance, like a rain dance. Yep. They sure did. If it's going to be this darn cold, it really does need to snow enough to get us out of school... But, even if I crawl out of bed tomorrow at 6:01 a.m. and dig a path down the driveway for the car to head to school and teach disappointed, distracted 11- and 12-year-olds once again, the hope takes me back... to the snow days of my childhood. (Yes, I am old enough to refer to my childhood. I am also young enough to remember it.) Without fail, every single time school was canceled, Dad would crack open my door and say, "Stay in bed. No school today." Oh, how I long to hear those words again. Maybe I'll go dance in the living room.

I just spent about 45 minutes working out. In the study. To youtube exercise videos. Yes, I did break a sweat. I even felt some muscles I haven't felt in a while - I think I might actually be a little sore tomorrow. I'm just sick of having to put on tons of layers to go outside and walk/run - and then there's that feeling you get, like your body wants to sweat but it's too cold. You know what I mean. This is still free (I have this thing - I hate paying to work out), and it's different. Remember when you were little and you took birthday treats to school? I may not be little, but I can still take birthday treats... it's only fair, since a few of my co-workers bought me a surprise pizza lunch. And some dear friends got me a Jaguar Snuggie (apparently for my "wild side," as the box advertises). And one of my kids had her mom make me a necklace.    And to think, some people make fun of how much I love my birthday. Embrace it, people. Embrace it...

I'm sorry. This was supposed to post this morning at 7:36. I don't know what happened. In any case, here it is now... As promised, my list of 25 things to do in my 25th year of life in no particular order (a.k.a. 25 fun things to blog about!)... 1. have a garage sale at our house 2. finish black and white quilt (in progress: quilting it!) 3. start grad school 4. take and print wheat pictures 5. donate old camera 6. sew a skirt for myself 7. plant a tree (we actually planted two) 8. grow a big vegetable garden (fill all four beds) 9. can salsa and possibly tomatoes/tomato sauce 10. catch up with Brad's basketball book 11. make braided cinnamon bread 12. touch up ceiling paint mistakes and stains (in progress: bleached the water stains on the ceiling. need to get paint for the paint mistakes) 13. fix kitchen drawer, or persuade Brad to do it for me 14. make a fray blanket with mom 15. write down Christmas memories 16. make something old/ugly/cheap into something nice (i...

I hope that you, faithful blog reader, have not felt neglected lately. And I hope that you, Grandma, have not been too disappointed when you checked the blog every day all week long and I hardly posted anything. It's just that... well... there's not much to say about life these days. I mean, do you want to read all about the cookies I baked Wednesday evening? The daily routine? My days with curly hair? The horror that was supposed to be a basketball game Friday night? How we sort of spy on the people who come to look at our neighbors' house that's on the market? The illness that has overtaken my supposed-to-be-relaxing three-day weekend? The pastoral candidating weekend at church? How I'm starting to freak out about VBS? How Brad's playing against the Harlem Ambassadors tonight at 7, but I won't be there... because I'm not really a pleasant person when I can't breathe? The test that my students are taking tomorrow? Anything strike your fancy? Se...

Some days I am grateful for the ugly Kansas winters, because they produce beauty like this:      

It's been two whole days without a post. But isn't life good anyway, even without me for entertainment?  Today, during my lunch break, I went outside and took pictures. Of the hoarfrost. That's when fog freezes, and it is beautiful. (When you're telling your coworkers what it's called, you should spell it. Just fyi.) I must be crazy. In my defense, it was colder than the person who told me to go take them told me it would be. Someday, I'll post those pretty pictures... some... day... In the meantime, just konw that I'm still here. Somewhere. No need to worry. And my birthday is only nine days away. (I may have mentioned once that I love, and plan to always always love, that day?) And I'm still waiting on suggestions for that list of mine...

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." -Plato Last Monday, I posted this quotation here with no explanation other than that it had been on my mind. As some of you know, Brad's grandfather passed away early last Tuesday morning. Fred (Fritz) had battled cancer off and on for many, many years. They found a large tumor on his lung just a month or so ago. Every time we go up to visit Brad's parents, we try to stop in Emporia to see Grandma and Grandpa. At our last visit, just before they found this tumor, he confided in us that he no longer wanted treatment for anything they found. He had fought long enough. He had made his peace. He lived a good, long life. It was just time. So when they found the tumor, he, with his doctors and his wife, made that decision. Over Christmas, we had a change to spend time with Fritz. He was doing well. But it was hard. It was hard to say good-bye that day, knowing we may not see him again. It was hard to ...

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." -Plato This quotation has been in my head for the last few days. Just want to share. I wish I had the energy to write something thought-provoking today. But I am drained. And it wasn't just because of the first day back to school - life is catching up. Don't you have those days when you just feel like writing? But nothing you have to write about seems like it matters so you just write the random things that pop into your head, mostly to entertain yourself? Or, the things you have to write about that are deep and thoughtful require more energy (because you rewrite every sentence five times before you feel even slightly settled about it) than you can devote to them right before supper? I knew it. We can be friends after all. I never posted anything about the new year. It's already January 4. When you lie on your couch in your flannel snowflake pants all evening watching Marley and Me, followed by CS...

For my aunts... Orzo Salad 1 bag orzo 1/4 c. olive oil Juice of 2 limes (or whatever amount of lime juice you want to dump in) 1 t. cumin 1/2 t. red pepper flakes 1 can black beans 1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, cut in half 5 green onions, finely chopped 1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped Salt & pepper Prepare orzo, following directions on the package. In small bowl, mix olive oil, lime juice, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Combine orzo, beans, tomatoes, and onions. Toss with dressing and cilantro. You can also add corn. And, if you know how I cook, you know that recipes are suggestions/just a list of ingredients to put together - I basically dump things into the bowl in whatever amounts look proportionate to me. Maybe that's why I'm not all that good at cooking?! :) Enjoy! p.s. this recipe makes a LOT, so be prepared. Take it to a family gathering where you know lots of people will ooh and aah over it as they eat.

Just in case you, like me, are (sort of) in charge of Vacation Bible School this summer... Themes you can choose for your 2010 VBS: -Hero Headquarters -High Seas Expedition -SonRock Kids Camp -Planet Zoom -Egypt -SonQuest Rainforest -Crocodile Dock Just by reading some of those titles, it's a little tough to tell that it's VBS stuff. Come on. Planet Zoom? I mean, shouldn't it at least mention God or church or something?! But that list doesn't include my current favorite: - Step Up and Go Green for Jesus I'm only kidding a tiny bit here. (It's the whole "for Jesus" part that gets me. I don't know why - it just sounds a little bit comical.) But really. One week of Vacation Bible School all about being good stewards of God's creation?! It sounds good to me. The other viable option is the curriculum published by the Mennonite Publishing Network . I'm a big fan of this stuff every year, at least since I spent those five weeks t...