My other kids...

I have three children that I prayed for and luckily, I was able to get pregnant all three times on fertility treatments. This has made me so grateful for the blessing of raising them. They are amazing people. Then, I have my other kids...my 30 lacrosse girls! I have been coaching girls lacrosse for Bingham for the last four years and I have watched these amazing young women blossom into astounding players and compassionate, loving ladies. Aren't I lucky to be surrounded by 6-7 year olds Mon-Friday, teenage girls Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat and primary children age 18 months to 11 years old on Sunday!? So, if I was only lucky enough to have three of my own--I get to share in the lives of so many other amazing kids as well!

21 years and counting...

21 years ago, I was 21 almost 22 years old and newly married to an amazing man. I have now been a Christensen for as long as I was a Tibbitts.

There have been ups and downs but I wouldn't trade a single minute of my life!

Dreams!

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream!"

This quote statement by Les Brown could have been attributed to my parents as well. They raised their seven children to set goals and have dreams and then to work hard to achieve them. One of my dreams has come true. From playing school with my younger sister (I always forced her to be the student) to wandering the schools with my children, I have dreamt of being a part of the vibrant education environment. I am now a teacher!

Officially, I was back in April but the past two weeks I have been setting up my classroom and with school starting in two weeks, it finally seems real!

I am a 43 year old new teacher! I will graduate with my masters in December and then it will be time to set another goal or to dream another dream.

My brother and sister-in-law are also close to fulfilling a dream. They have been taking classes to adopt a child they have wanted for so long! They will be awesome parents! At 45 years of age, they will attain their dreams!

My sister has always loved caring for animals. When she married her husband, they dreamed of having a self-sustaining farm. A few years ago, they purchased property they had been eyeing for a long time. They now own milking cows, goats, chickens, quail and one lone duck! She makes her own cheese, supplies her family with homegrown meat and vegetables. They have attained their dreams!

Whether you call it a dream or a goal, they are good! Never give up those dreams and work hard to obtain them. Dreams only come true when you sacrifice a little now for their reality later!

Where does the time go?

A portion of April and all of May has flown right by me! Of course, it doesn't help that the weather acted like it was March for those two months! Cole finished up his first year of college with great successes. His lacrosse team were the regional champions but unfortunately, were eliminated in the national quarter finals. He is a private pilot and close to his instrument rating. He received the Military Excellence Award for academic, military and leadership in his ROTC unit and was on Westminster's Dean's list both semesters. Cole is currently in San Diego for his Navy/Marine ROTC training and after a week of riding around on AAVs (Armored Assault Vehicles), learning about and identifying IEDs on the IED course and using night goggles to shoot a grenade launcher and M16, he is reports it was the best week of his life! He is in his element and loving every minute!

Charlie finished up his freshman year and is more than ready to start his sophomore year at Bingham High School. He has his learner's driving permit but Mom has to push him out the door to go driving. After being in two car accidents as a passenger in the last two years, he is just not all that excited to be the driver! Charlie had a good lacrosse year but due to the lack of a consistent coaching, his team struggled. As the captain of his lacrosse team, he would many times run the practices himself! He is hoping for better coaching next year!

Little Miss Popular, Syd, completed her first year in junior high and excelled as a student leader. She made many more friends and adjusted to the life of a junior higher! Lacrosse is still Syd's life. She is playing for the Bingham Girls Juniors (Mom coaches) as well as playing on a competition team, the Utah Mamaci. Her summer will be spend at lacrosse and camps. She has two lacrosse tournaments, one in California, Oakcrest and Girls camp. Between all of that she has an exercise regime that she has Charlie doing with her for her comp team!

Eric is still the backbone of the Neonatal Program at the Utah Department of Health. In addition to his 50+ hours of work a week, he is also improving the yard and garden. It looks better than it has in years! He makes sure his busy family gets fed, has clean clothes and cars in working order!

I am finishing up my lacrosse coaching while wrapping up things with my accounting job at the Utah Department of Health. My last day as an accountant will be August 11 as I make my career change to teaching. Between my master's degree, preparing for my new classroom and class, coaching and work, I am a very busy mom but I have an extremely supportive family who have been with me every step of the way. My husband is amazing as he encourages me to take a considerable cut in salary to achieve my dream of teaching!

We have been busy in the last two months and look forward to a summer of more!

Time flys when you're having fun...

and it is hard for me to believe my demonstration teaching is over! I miss not only my kids but every last student Westvale. I was fortunate enough to spend time in every classroom and get to know the teachers and students. The faculty and staff are incredible and the kids amazing!

I have learned so much over the last three months that my heart and mind are full. However, I want to share a few of the things I learned:

1. All teachers share the same middle name: flexible!They have to be able to make a quick change in plans, classrooms, time, etc at a drop of a hat! I don't believe anyone could really understand how many times a teacher does it during a single day.

2. Children are just as curious, intelligent, unique and amazing as I thought and I love being with them even more than before!

3. Teachers must be PREPARED! Children know when someone is insincere, "faking it" or plain just don't know and they are very quick to point it out!

4. There is no where else on earth that you can feel a love of life and vibrancy as a school!

5. Teachers touch some many lives every day. They have to make sure it is for good and not bad!

6. Finally, the best teachers are those who are forever learning, from themselves, their students and others!

I am anxiously awaiting the day that I will have my own little classroom and begin the fun-filled, challenging life as a teacher!

I'm sure I am not the only one....

who needs at least one more day in the week, right?! I used to think that being a full-time Mom, full-time employee, full-time student and lacrosse coach was busy. It ain't nothing compared to my current schedule! Preparing several lessons for every day, managing and teaching the class, being a full-time Mom, full-time student and part-time employee has left me falling asleep while correct papers late at night!

This highly organized gal is falling behind which just doesn't happen to me! But guess what?  I am LOVING my teaching job!

                                                        
                                                       

I am home!

My first week of school was amazing, awesome, incredible and all the other adjectives! The kids are great! My host teacher is grateful! My days fly by! I AM HOME! After our first date, Eric went to his night job and told everyone he worked with that he had met his wife. He just knew we were meant to be together. It just took him 4 weeks to convince me! I now know how that feels. I am where I was always meant to be!

There are 24 students in this fifth grade class. They are a needy class with so many problems, eight with learning disabilities, four with health problems and 10 with home issues. They are also the most amazing, friendly and eager to learn children.

They love my different glasses. I love their friendliness. They love my hair. I love their resilience. They love to have my individual attention. I just love them all!

It is going to be so hard to leave them in 11 weeks! Now I wish the days would slow down so I can spend more time with these incredible kids!

Blank pages...

Edith Lovejoy Pierce wrote, "We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. This book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."

How appropriate for me as I begin a new adventure and a new year on January 3, 2011. I'm nervous, scared, worried but mostly, excited, thrilled and full of hope! In the last twenty four years that I have been in the business world and held several jobs, I have never felt this anxious or excited. I feel like a kid again, beginning the first day of school, maybe because I am starting my first day at school, only as the teacher. Will the kids like me? Will I be able to teach them? Help them? Get them excited to learn? Will I remember everything I have learned about being a teacher? Will I get along with the other teachers? Will they help me? So many unknowns.

So, I will open my book called Opportunity and begin to write. I am sure there will be scary moments, disappointments, frustrations but I know that they will be balanced by the wonderful moments, successes and delights!