Swamped!!!!!

The past week has been everything for me with my emotional gauge bopping all around the place. I swear it has been from stress to relief, pain to joy, surprise to wow it really is what I think it is, and finally lonely to accompanied. School is out for the summer (yeah I don't have to be responsible for kids, lesson plans, and grades). I spent Wednesday night (until 12 at the school and until 2 after leaving the school) inventorying my Spanish library(monotonous, but methodical my kind or organization :-)

Thursday I intended to spend working on the other paperwork and finishing inventory, but rather I spent the entire day trying to play catch up with my brain and body on two separate planets. At four I finally gave up the battle and went home, covered my windows with heavy dark blankets, threw something (not sure what i did put in there) into the crock pot, and CRASHED for about 3 hours. I was woken by the phone, and then spent the next 4 hours trying to wake up from my insane nap....at about 10 I finally resumed my work.

Friday I worked and worked and worked, finished my stuff, went out with the ladies from work, and then took a full on nap in the back seat of my car while waiting for my friend Chris to get off work so he could work on my car. Why in the back seat of my car? Well for several very LOGICAL reasons, and I promise they are really my reasons.....First, I was in Billings and I live 30 miles out (too far to drive out and back in an hour), Second, I was really tired, Third, I was super super tired, Fourth, because the closest place I could think of going to was the Church and I knew I couldnt go in and take a nap, Fifth, because I had a blanket and a pillow in my car and WHY not? Really, I think the brain cannot absorb enough O2 when you don't get enough sleep and so I basically pulled over, parked in the Church lot, and gave in! (for those of you who live in Billings and I could have come to your place, I COULDNT MAKE IT!!!!!! It was pretty bad.

Well Long story Short, he fixed my car (very kind) and I went home (after a short game of Phase 10 with Abigail). I went to bed and forced myself to sleep....it felt really good. I have slept a lot at strange hours of the day the past week, but I am going to get back into the right habit soon. I hope!!!!!!
Anyways, since I have been home, things have been crazy like the always are on the farm.....I am glad though, it is a totally different type of work when you are out here....it is slow, steady, and repetative....you learn it well, and then your body just goes on command.....then you are left free to explore the very vast and seemingly endless corners of your simple yet complex and unconquered space otherwise known as your BRAIN.....

I drove tractor all day yesterday, and I felt pretty good about it....in fact I thoroughly enjoyed up and down the field....I was in control of making straight beautiful rows....it was right down my alley.

Today was seed cutting, not as much fun, but certainly charming in its own way.....who doesnt like chopping things into pieces? especially with their hands.....anways, it has been fun, but tiring and now it is late again and I am worn out....Gettting up in the morining to take a look at a different world from off the seat of a bike.....hopefully!!!!! wish my luck!

Something quick and thought provoking tonight. Love you all and I hope you enjoy this video. It really shows that Science doesn't always discount that we were all created by Heavenly Father. I think it is amazing what God has taught men.



Have a wonderful day!

Caught!!!

So the other day I shared that I am slightly obsessive about silly things. Today I share another one, I am paranoid about Cops....Soo here is tonight's scoop. I am headed home after running a few errands and such, and I haven't had dinner, so I pop on into Burger King and pick up a meal. As I am heading out of the Parking lot I am trying to cross over into the far lane and I realize there is this dude walking across the street right where I need to pull out. Well you know how you can judge how fast a person walks? It is fairly simple to judge that in 3 seconds they can cross X number of feet. Well I assumed the dude had moved at a reasonably human speed, and had at least crossed to the far side of the turn lane. So I very carefully pull out and head for the turn lane, OBVIOUSLY watching for the dude, and all of the sudden he is stopped, and backing up, and there is traffic coming at me on the right and I have to get out to the turn lane or cause a wreck...So I gently maneuver my way to the dudes left, and slowly pulled into the turn lane so I could wait for the traffic to pass in the far lane and I could get in....I made sure I pulled in slowly because I was close to the dude who just stopped and decided to back up in the middle of the street at 10 pm. Well I get to the turn lane and am safe from harm (as well as the dude) and I know there is traffic coming, so I turn to watch and wait and realize that the guy has stopped and backed up because he realized that there were cars coming (yes he had PLENTY of time to cross, he must have been surprised by me, or something I don't know) and he decided not to cross, but rather to stand in the middle of the road waiting to get hit. Well lucky day for me, while I was paying attention to the dude and the oncoming traffic and getting into the turn lane, a COP stops and turns his lights on, and the dude looks confused for a minute and then realized the COP just stopped to help him cross safely. So I think, well I don't want to get myself in trouble, and since the COP technically has the right of way I decide to wait for the dude to pass the Cop and let the Cop go before I pull into traffic...(there was probably 10 ft between our cars) well the dude walks slowly (nervous about the other cars heading for him) and finally is across. Well the cop still has his lights on and WONT go, and the traffic is backing up behind him, so I figure the Cop is pulling me over for the whole maneuver I just performed....So I cross the two lanes of traffic and pull into the gas station across the way to wait for the cop. YA, THIS IS THE FUNNY PART....The cop guns it and it takes me a few to realize that he wasn't pulling me over, he was being courteous and stopping the oncoming traffic not only for the dude, but for me too. So I feel like a dufus, and I pull out and go on my merry way. So here's my question.....Why me? I guess I am very relieved that I didn't get pulled over, it is not my favorite thing in the world to have happen. It has been a few years and I am not ready for that to come full circle again. Lets just say if you have a speeding problem, want to fix it, and have absolutly NO Money, go to Vegas and speed in a School Crossing Zone, they really nail you big time for that....MORE THAN DRIVING DRUNK!!!!! What happens in Vegas DEFINITELY stays in Vegas!

Para que sepas! (Just so you know!)

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, other wise known as the Mormons, or the LDS people.


Today was Sunday. Today was wonderful. I can't imagine my weeks without the refill of spiritual strength. It never ceases to amaze me that there are inspired people everywhere and that the Lord knows just how to find me with those specifically inspired people. He always sends a specific "Jen I am your Heavenly Father and I love You Soooo Much that..." message, and generally on Sundays He sends a couple. I always want to come home and immerse myself in the scriptures or some other inspired and approved church appropriate media.

It is Sunday and I always start my Sunday's with inspiring music. I carry it with me all the time on my phone just in case I don't have any other way to start my day. I love listening to hymns especially. Some people are really touched and emotionally connected to music, and some people aren't. Music is precious to me because not only is it music that is beautiful, but it is music inspired by the scriptures and the words of the prophets. Music has a way of filling your whole heart, soul, and mind with messages of hope, happiness, faith, strength, or just plain pure love. How can anyone listen to the messages shared through music or heartfelt testimony and doubt that they are loved by a Heavenly Father.

Sundays are precious, they refocus my life, my desire, and my attitude. The longer I live, the more I appreciate the establishment of the Sabbath Day in ancient times, and the remembrance of that doctrine that some may believe to be ancient or out of date. I appreciate that I have parents who spent so many Sundays teaching me the importance of keeping the Sabbath day holy. I love that I don't have the stress of the rest of the week when Sunday comes around. It is a special day, a day set aside to worship the Lord. Above all, it is a day for us to remember Him and rededicate areas of our lives to improvement.

Amo al Padre con todo mí corazón, fuerza, y mente. Todos mís días le honrarare. Es mí fuerza y mí roca.

As we go on, We remember, all the times we, spent together....

Tonight the class of 2010 graduated from the Broadview and Lavina schools. It was the first graduation ceremony I have attended representing the students as their teacher. I got nostalgic tonight, somehow I find the silliest things I will miss about the people and then those are the things that really get me. Tonight I realized how much I will miss a few of this years seniors....a lot, and realizing the little things I am going to miss made me tear up and cry. I cried a lot in fact and couldn't do anything other than hug the kids and say good luck. I realized how mushy I get when it comes to goodbyes and I realized my goal since the mission has been to avoid them. I avoid saying goodbye because I have said goodbye too often to people I will more than likely never see again in this life and it hurts too much. It is somehow easier to avoid the Goodbye altogether, then you don't invest precious emotion into the people you have learned to love and lean on.

I wonder how it was when I was preparing to come to my family, when I knew what the journey entailed and what the risks ahead of me would be. I wonder if it was as hard for me then as it seems to be now. I am emotionally linked to the people I know, without trying I form these deep rooted bonds with them and then, I have to let them go. I know the day I leave this home to return back to my Eternal home will be a day of rejoicing because I will know that the end of separation from those I love will have arrived.

To those of you who haven't heard it in a while,or if you don't know this I Love you, I miss you, and I pray for you. I never make friends with someone just to make friends, I make friends to keep them dear for life.

So as we go on, we must remember, as our lives change, come whatever, we will still be friends forever.....Thanks for the lyrics Vitamin C.

Nos vemos en algunas horas!!!!

Compulsive.....and Cute

So I am posting from my blackberry because there was an emergency and I am in town babysitting for my Aunt. It has been a good day.

Sooooo, as I went about a normal routine today I noticed some things I never payed attention to. We know that humans are creatures of habit and tend to lean towards comfortable things. I have often taken things beyond what other people do and I have self diagnosed myself as "slightly Obsessive Compulsive". Today I noticed I always pull two napkins at lunch and inevitably (because they are single fold napkins) one is folded up and the other is folded down. So if you know me you know I ALWAYS turn one over and then I nestle them together, fold in my silverware and head on my way. Here is a list of some of the other funny things I do....and who knows why? YO NO SE!

I flush toilets with my toe/ shoe.
I open bathroom doors with my elbow, my forearms, my sleeve, a towel, or I catch it with my foot as someone else goes before me.
I clean my house Entirely every time I know someone is coming to visit.
I count my steps.
I count the Tar strips in the highways in sets of three or four as I drive/ride (you know, the ones where they fixed a crack and then they stick that toilet paper stuff on it)
I have to step on every crack in the sidewalk OR half way in between them OR if they are too long or uneven I split them and make sure it is evenly divided where I step.
My Hair has to look a certain way (except at home) and I always know what I will do with it in the morning and I plan how I will sleep so that it turns out that way.
Pictures have to hang straight, in fact everything must be placed in exact positions....2/3 wall height and parallel to the ground, evenly spaced, in the middle or in exact fractions of the space....this includes food, I organize my food even when I am alone.

This news just in: Jen wants a family!

So I am babysitting tonight and I had a blast with Abigail and Remmington. I taught Abigail to play Phase 10 and then Remington joined us and just drew and discarded to throw the game in the air. Then we went out and I showed them some things about soccer....how to run and kick the ball as you go, how to kick with the instep unless you are Air kicking, how you can't use your hands, and best of all how to score a goal by "being sneaky". I had them practice being the "bolie" (Abigails word for Goalie) and kicking. The one would stand ready while the other had to run clear out and then jog the ball in winding back and forth and hesitate and score. Abigail picked up quick (she is older) and Remington decided he really liked it when I would grab him under the arms and put his feet on mine to run the ball and make a goal. Also he liked being on my shoulders for goalie because he got a kick out of closing my eyes Right when Abigail would bring in the Goal. After I it was bed time and we read a book. The best part of the day by far though is seeing them tucked tight in their.beds and to give goodnight hugs and kisses. Then to see them asleep and so calm. I really enjoyed my night with them and I am sooo grateful I had the evening to spend with them.

Laughter for 60 years and counting

So ever since I was old enough to know who Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were I was marvelled at their comedy. I have always been able to laugh so hard that I cried, or so hard that I couldn't breath....and learning about "I love Lucy" re-runs really amped up my laughter.

I think I laugh so hard at Lucy and Ricky because they are so real and I can totally see myself doing some of the funny things they do (naturally and not acting of course).

Last week in class I asked my students what they knew about the show and the actors, and I was amazed at how much they know....that's like over sixty AMAZING years of reruns and people still love Lucy!!!!!! I watched the following three clips in class with my Spanish students 5 different times in one day and every time I laughed to the point of tears.(Why in Spanish class? DUHH!!! Ricky aka Desi was Cuban) (The 4th grade teacher actually saw me and said "don't cry about it" and then later worried that perhaps I really was crying....lucky for her, I was laughing to the point of tears...and the incident led to even more laughter....Heheheh)

I really think that laughter is medicine for the soul, so take a moment and watch the following clips from "I Love Lucy". Your day is always better when you laugh and smile, so take a load off and enjoy, but don't get caught up....I will post more "I love Lucy" videos another day.

On that note, if you are not yet a fan of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, I hope you find the comedy and energy in their show that brings laughter to my life time and time again.


Chicken and Rice for Ricky's Mother


Ricky says Lucy has to save money so she decides to make herself a dress and give herself a home permanent.


Lucy and Ethyl, another failed attempt at working in the chocolate factory.