One Word

One Word.

So I've already posted about my resolutions/goals for 2015.  But this is different.

This past week, the first week back after Christmas Break, was my week to lead our daily Faculty Devotions.  Nothing too stressful.  I knew it was coming.  But I still wanted to pick a meaningful devotion for the week.  Not just something random and thrown together.  Something that would be enjoyable and applicable both for myself and my coworkers.  So before we returned I began to search You Version for a New Years themed reading plan.  Something short, so it could be covered in the week.  Something relating to the new year, starting fresh, etc.  You get the idea.  But I just couldn't find anything that struck me as "perfect".  Ugh.  I really didn't want to just randomly pick a daily reading from a book.  

So, Monday morning comes and I try one last time to find something.  I'm stopped at a red light, one of the last turns before I make it to school.  I find it.  I read the description and it sounded just like what I was looking for.  Score!  I started the plan.

I never intended for it to be groundbreaking or super enlightening.  Just something to fit the theme and get us through the week.  Simple.  But as each day came and I shared the readings with our faculty I really began to enjoy it.  It began to resonate with me.  He began to work in me.

The basic premise of the One Word (which BTW you can visit their website for more information: GetOneWord) is that you think and pray about the upcoming year and the goals and plans  you have for it.  Then you begin to ponder one word that will guide you throughout your year.  As you think about it, you open yourself up to guidance from Him as the word is made known to you.  I won't go into it too much here, I suggest you read it for yourself.  It's a simple, 4-day plan that you could even read in one day.  Try it.  Head over to YouVersion and look for it.

So, by the end of the week I had my word.  I also think (hope) that a few of my coworkers have been inspired to find a word of their own for 2015.  Something that will impact their lives and faith.  Maybe.  

So, my word.  It came to me pretty suddenly.  I thought about it, what it could mean and how I could go with it.  It made sense  I could see ways in which it could benefit me for 2015 and ways I could grow with it.  So I went with it.  Listen.  That's my word.  Listen.

See, I talk a lot.  I know, it's not much of a surprise, but it's a fact.  Sometimes this leads to problems.  Listening is definitely something that I could use.  But it also could help in other ways.

Listen.  To others.  It will help me understand what they mean.  How they feel.  What they are truly saying.  This, in turn, can help me to communicate more effectively with them.  Improved communication is a plus in any relationship.

Listen.  To Him.  I tend to gravitate toward instant gratification.  I have a short attention span and want results.  Now.  I want my plans to work out.  Now.  But that is not always what is best.  I guess, rarely it is.  My timeline isn't the one that's most important.  So, by listening to Him I will be able to slow down and see the path He is leading me down.  His plans for me.  It will also teach me patience and contentment.  Hopefully.

Listen.  To myself.  Also to better communication I need to know and understand how I am feeling so I can properly relay that to others.  

So, there you have it.  One word for 2015.  Listen.  It doesn't lessen the other resolutions I have.  In fact it may help me to keep them.  Listen.  My plan is to continue to post about this throughout the year.  A sort of accountability.  

Again, I highly suggest you head over to YouVersion and the GetOneWord website.  Give it a try.  Find your word.  Good luck.

All is well, one word, in Drosche Land.

Danger

Danger. It lurks around every corner dear friends. 

In short, the coffeemake at work tried to kill me yesterday. I contend it was a murder-suicide that luckily didn't come to fruition. 

So, here's what went down.  You know I love me some coffee.  Love it. Luckily the vast majority of my coworkers drink coffee so there is always and endless supply throughout the day.  So I do my part and help out. I make coffee all the time when the carafes are empty. I'm sure you are familiar with the kind of coffeemaker we have. It's the huge industrial one that brews directly into the giant metal carafes. You know the kind. They hook up directly to a water line and the water is always hot and ready. All you have to do it place coffee in the basket and hit the button. Simple. Easy. Usually. 

So yesterday I get to work early, as is the case on Fridays. So I decide to brew the first batches of coffee. I take Stella with me and she is happily chewing down on her kolache (Friday is "Donut Friday" for the kids). I clean out the first carafe, put it in place, add the coffee, and press the button. Then I go about cleaning out the second carafe. I hear the coffeemaker doing its job and I glance over. However, I don't see the liquid elixir pouring into the carafe. Nope. Instead, steaming water is pouring out of the top of the back tank, down the sides of the coffeemaker, and onto the counter. Crap. I grab paper towels by the handful and begin to (unsuccessfully) mop up the growing puddle to prevent a bigger mess. The water keeps coming. I keep going at it with paper towels. Side note: these are those paper towels found in most places. The white ones. Ok for drying your hands, but not much else. I'm basically soaking the paper towels and moving water around. It gets chaotic. Think of the I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel get a job at the candy factory.  You know. It was a lot like that only it was just me trying to race against time and clean up the water. All the while Stella is watching me, happily munching on her kolache. 

So, where's the danger in this?  The near-death experience?  Just wait. It's coming. So the water finally stops. I breathe a sigh of relief and finish cleaning up the water. Still wanting my coffee and not wanting to have a hit put out on me by my coworkers for breaking the coffeemaker, I decide to try again. But I notice the coffeemaker is no longer on. It's plugged in, but not on. The clock plugged into the same socket is not working either. Crap again. Being a gfci outlet, I'm not alarmed. So I unplug the coffeemaker and the clock and hit the reset button. Plug the clock back in and it works!  Woo hoo!  I'm on my way to caffeination!  Plug the coffeemaker in and the socket blows, sending little sparks out and popping. I believe it was the coffeemaker's grand plan. Electrocution. Crap. Again. This is where I drew the line. I would find some other way to consume copious amounts of coffee during the day.  But not with this murderous appliance.  So I unplug it, reset the socket, write my coworkers a note, and move on. 

Luckily the church office has a similar coffeemaker and someone else goes to make the coffee. They didn't die. As of the end of the day yesterday the coffeemaker was still dead, unable to be resuscitated by our school's handyman.

This is the second run in I've had in the Workroom. Last year I nearly got my tie and lanyard caught in the laminator, nearly escaping another freakish fatality. Maybe it's just me?  Who knows?  But my point is that it's a dangerous world out there, at least for me.  Last night I had the feeling I was having my own Final Destination experience. That or it was like Transformers and some rogue machines have it out for me.  We will see what Monday brings. Coffee?  Death?  Stay safe friends. 

All is well, unscathed, in Drosche Land. 

2014 Year in Review

Happy New Year!

We did something a little different this year in Drosche Land for New Years!  We'd been hoping to get out and do some camping over the Christmas break, but there were no available spots where we wanted to go. Oh well, life moves on. Then, as luck would have it, Amy found us a spot at our all-time favorite state park - Stephen F. Austin State Park. It's nearby, within 45 minutes, and is our favorite go-to spot. Lots of a great memories made and many more waiting to be made here. So we booked it and began packing and planning. New Years in our camper!  Beginning 2015 out in a relaxing way together as a family. Sounded just like what we needed.  So, yesterday we arrived and braved the cold weather to enjoy some hiking, playing outside, and a campfire where we roasted hot dogs, our usual first night out dinner. The kids went to bed early, as did Amy and I. A busy day outdoors made us tired so we skipped ringing in 2015 at midnight, opting instead for some wine to celebrate at about 9. But enough about this trip, I'll post more later. On with a review of what 2014 brought us here in Drosche Land. 

January

I joined a blog hop to review the Top 20 Photos from 2013. This was fun. I'll have to head over and see if Duncan is doing the same. Or maybe I will again anyway?  January also brought a month filled with adoption classes, twice weekly, as we continued the pre-adoption process. We learned a lot about both the adoption process and the foster care system through this.  We also were busy readying our house for the Home Study process. The weather in January 2014 was wicked, with many freezing days and even brought the city to a stop for some unprecedented Ice Days!

February

February was kicked off by the burglary of our home. Yikes. That was rough. Very emotional for us all as we dealt with the emotional and financial aftermath of such an occasion.  It was a bumpy road but we made it through. Definitely something we hope to never experience again. The adoption process halted to a crawl and we were getting quickly impatient with how slowly everything seemed to be moving.  One fun part of the month included Braeden landing his first, albeit small, part in the school Spring Musical!  We were so proud of him for even trying out and getting the part as an extra. A great accomplishment for him!  So much fun!  February also brought us through the process of having Jackson evaluated for ADHD.  We weren't vocal about the process at the time, but it was emotional and tiring.  Overall February was rough and we were all too happy to see it end. Crazy how such a short month can pack a wallop!

March

March started off ok. For about a month. Until we discovered that our beloved pet dog Lucy was diagnosed with cancer. It was untreatable and aggressive. We made the horrible decision to end her pain and suffering, but just beginning ours. She was an awesome dog. Amy and I got her when it was just the 2 of us in New Orleans. She was our first baby. We will always cherish her and the memories we have of her.  Spring Break brought us an awesome family trip to Dinosaur Valley State Park. We had a blast. It also made us realize that we wanted to trade up our small popup camper for an actual travel trailer. The process was long but we ended up with our wonderful Fireside where I sit right now blogging and listening to rain. Best decision ever!  We love it!  March also is when we decided to sign the boys up for swim team with their cousins!  Something new. Something fun. Well, looking back, not so much, but it seemed like a great idea at the time!  We also received Jackson's ADHD diagnosis and began the process of finding the correct dosage of medication that would help him. More emotional rollercoaster time for us but it was beneficial. The month was brought to a close by our first Home Study visit. It had been postponed once that month, but went well once it finally happened. We felt like we were getting the ball rolling in the adoption process, finally.

April

April brought another year for me to join the Blogging A-Z Challenge where I wrote about TV shows. Good posts. Good tv shows. It was a fun month for the challenge!  The month didn't hold much else for us. We continued the process of medicating Jackson, finally finding a doctor and dosage that we were happy with. Braeden performed wonderfully in the school Spring Musical and swim practices went on, although not as smooth as we would have liked. We did fall even more in love with the Fireside as we took her out on her inaugural run, with much success!  We also were in the home stretch of planning our summer vacation to Disney World as we made reservations for rides and food!

May

Braeden turned 8. 8?!  Seriously?!  Wow.   We also ended our brief foray into the world of competitive swimming after much frustration and miscommunication with the swim team Coaches. Ugh.  Our boys love sports and we want them to be active in something. That something just isn't swimming. I finally blogged about Jackson's ADHD diagnosis on Children's Mentak Health Day.  I'll continue to blog about it as it is an ongoing syndrome that we are always dealing with. But there's no shame in it. We are proud of him and will continue to support him and advocate for him so he is successful. May also brought some shocking news as our adoption agency brought up Fostering and Amy and I, after prayerful consideration decided to become dual track as we proceeded onward with the straight adopt/foster-to-adopt process.  Another school year ended, my first (and awesome) at St. Mark. I also won an iPad mini via a contest with my favorite station 104.1 KRBE!  Holla!  The month ended on a great note as things with the adoption were looking promising and Disney World was getting closer!

June

Stella turned 2!  What?!  2?!  Wow. She was, and is, a hoot and keeps us on our toes daily. Disney was the name of the game for the month though as we spent a week there!  We did Disney World hard and were bus every minute of every day. But we had a blast and enjoyed it all. We made it to every park and ate some incredible food. While we don't have a definite date set, we are always planning, prepping, praying about, and waiting for our next trip!  I led VBS at St. Mark again and had a blast, so much fun and I always enjoy it. We spent the rest of the month relaxing and resting up from Disney while we awaited the all-important adoption phone call!

July

A busy month to say the least!  We started off the insanity by purchasing a new truck!  I love her. My beautiful blue Ford F-150. She is an awesome truck and has been such an improvement as a tow vehicle over the Sequoia (who is also a great vehicle as well, just not the same as my truck!). We took the Fireside out again, pulled by my truck, on vacation with my family. A few problems with the air conditioning occurred but we handled it and all ended up well.  After vacation we adopted not one, but two miniature schnauzer mixes. Twins. We named them Mickey and Minnie because we were, and are, still on a post-Disney World vacation high. They are adorable and we love them to pieces. I will say though, that everyone's is right when they say house training small dogs is way different than big dogs. Much harder and frustration. But it is slowly improving.  Speaking of house training, my awesome wife managed to potty train Stella in just 3 days. This is when she did with both boys and she ended the fun with a 3 for 3 success rate!  She is awesome. We started running. No seriously, we did. I know, I can still hardly believe it. But thanks to inspiration from friends and my wonderful wife, we because runners. We started off very slowly. But have gotten much better and actually, gasp!, enjoy it. The holidays and colder weather have seen fewer runs from both of us but 2015 will bring a change to that as we are excited to get back in it and put some more 5Ks under our belt!  Oh and we got Fitbits!  LOVE them!  Then it happened. At the very end of the month. It happened. We got the call. 2 girls. In need of placement. We talked and prayed (both quickly because you have to be quick) and accepted.  It also changed us. Forever. 

August

August was a blur. We had 5 kids. The foster care process was a lot. Meetings. Doctor's appointments. Meetings. Amy pulled the lion's share of it all. I will be the first to admit that. She was amazing. I saw in her the determination that made me love her. Determination to get things done. Determination to do right by these two little girls. Determination to care for her family, no matter what life threw at her. She was, and still always is, amazing. In the midst of all of this, school was starting back up.  We now had 5 kids to enroll!  Amy celebrated her birthday in the middle of everything.  School started and all 5 were at St. Mark since we'd made the decision prior to placement to move Jackson over. They all thrived. We also had our first home visit with T & L's family. The one where we found out a family member was interested in pursuing custody of them both. Mixed feelings emerged. This wasn't what we'd envisioned with our adoption process. But we continued on, praying and trying (successfully and unsuccessfully) to let Him lead us.  I ran my first 5K!  The FoamGlow Run!  Initially it was supposed to be Amy and I but the girls couldn't be left with anyone other than the two of us so I ran with Amanda instead. It was awesome and I loved it. Amy and I are currently looking into 5Ks this year to do!

September

Just as suddenly as it had begun, it ended. T & L moved on from our care. They'd been with us for just over a month. About 5 1/5 weeks. It was an emotional process to say the least. We learned a lot. About the foster care world, about our biological children, about our friends and family, about each other. It drained us.  After it was all said and done we decided to halt any further movement with adoption. We don't know what lies ahead for us or where He is leading us. Our hearts are filled with love, compassion, and advocacy for adoption and the entire process. We just still aren't quite sure what the next step for us is. Other than waiting. Waiting. A word we'd come to despise throughout the adoption process but now one we turn to. Waiting. To see where He leads us, what He has in mind for us. Who knows?  We don't, but we have faith in the fact that He does. For now we just heal from the process and wait. But life moved forward and so do we. The boys were both enrolled in soccer for the fall!  Jackson through St. Mark and Braeden through a league near the house where he played on the same team as his cousin Austin!  Jackson turned 7!  7?!  Wow. Our kids are growing up too fast!  He is thriving at St. Mark and in my class!  He's also doing quite well managing his ADHD!  

October

October seemed to be pretty uneventful. I didn't blog much, life was busyish. Amy joined the Handbell Choir at St. Mark with her mom and is enjoying it!  She won't admit it, but she does and is quite good! Our Tuesday nights were overtaken with both boys' soccer practices and Saturdays and Sundays were both game days. It seemed as though we were always on the move. Halloween was fun, we had a themed- family costume with the cousins. All 4 boys were Texans football players, the 2 girls were cheerleaders (with adorable homemade tutus courtesy of my awesome wife), and Amy and I were referees (a simple costume consisting of a white tshirt, black electrical tape, and jeans!

November

I vowed to blog more. Life had gotten too much in the way and posts dwindled. 2015 will be different!  I had a birthday and Amy spoiled me with an iPhone 6 Plus and I LOVE it!  Soccer ended and the season was a success, the boys both doing quite well!  Amy and I hosted Thanksgiving for the first time at our house. With my family members far flung across the country that just wasn't happening. So Amy's mom and grandparents came and my parents and grandmother did also. It was so much fun to host rather than travel. Something I hope we get to do a lot more of!  Black Friday was a success as Amy's Mom and I continued our tradition of heading out to grab some deals!  The Christmas season began as our little elf, Englebert, reappeared!

December

I began the month posting about Santa and believing in the magic that is Santa. We lost Braeden's believe last year but this year everyone continued their belief, with Braeden helping to keep the secret!  We also announced that after Christmas Amy would be moving up to teach 4th Grade at Epiphany. Something totally new, exciting, and slightly daunting. We spent the first few days of Christmas break cleaning and prepping her new room and I know she will be incredible!  Christmas came and was a blessed day as we celebrated the birth of Jesus and spent time with family. It was so much fun to just stop and relax. The week afterward was spent doing more resting and relaxing, in addition to cleaning the house and reclaiming it from the post-Christmas clutter. That brings us to yesterday, the end of December and the end of 2014. More relaxing family time. Much needed and much enjoyed. 

So, that's 2014. A bit long but it's all there, mostly.  It was a whirlwind. A rollercoaster. One heck of a year. But we made it through and can look back to reminisce it all now, both the good times and the not so good times. What does 2015 have in store for us?  Not sure, but we can ruminate about that in another post. One dedicated to the new year!  

All is well, saying goodbye to 2014, in Drosche Land. 

Movin' On Up

No, not to the East side. And I'm never going back to apartment living, regardless of how deluxe it may be. Nope, I'm talking about a different kind of moving up.  As in grade levels at school. 

Starting in January, once school resumes, Amy will be moving up (the title all makes sense now huh?) to teach 4th Grade instead of 2nd Grade. I know. It's still a bit of a shock to us as well.

It all began much earlier this school year, with a bit of sad news. The 4th Grade teacher at Epiphany suddenly passed away. It was very sad and emotional for Amy and her coworkers. Since then there have been 2 substitutes working together in the class. Amy, always willing to help and looking for a challenge began to contemplate moving up to take over. We talked about it. We prayed about it. We decided it seemed like what He was calling her to do. Everything was working out for it as well. Amy had a Student Teacher this fall who was also the daughter of a family friend. She graduated last week and obviously is looking for a job. The plan was to have her take over in 2nd Grade while Amy moved up to 4th as the permanent teacher. 

It was approved and everything was put into place. That was all a little over a month ago. It seemed so far off, but now the time is here. Yesterday was the last day of school before Christmas Break and today we spent the day moving Amy from her old classroom into her new classroom. We worked hard and made a lot of progress. We will go back on Monday to finish everything up. Meanwhile, over the course of the past month she's been working on lesson planning, reading through curriculum, and preparing herself to teach 4th Grade.  She's been super busy and, of course nervous, but all is coming together and working well. 

It make me laugh though. This girl who, in college, was so sure she would only ever be an Early Childhood teacher. She disliked any fieldwork or experience in anything above Kindergarten. One of our dearest professors who taught several of our classes always refused to put her in lower grades, despite Amy's insistence that Early Childhood was the only thing for her.  Instead, Dr. Keiper insisted she be well-rounded and not closed off to anything. You'd never know what He has planned. Ha!  Turns out she was so right all along. If only she could see what was going on now!

4th Grade. They're tall. There's multiplication and essays. Cursive writing and hormones. Yikes!  I have to admire Amy because I would never be able to do this, nor would I want to. But not Amy. Nope. Not my Amy. She loves change. Loves a challenge. Thrives under pressure and strained circumstances. She's nervous and forever worried she's making the wrong decision, but I know she will be amazing!  I have such confidence in her, as do her coworkers, principal, and the current 3rd Grade parents who had her in 2nd Grade last year and are ecstatic to have her again next year!  Awesome. 

So, another adventure about to begin here for us. Well, for Amy really. But it's a good thing. A very good thing. And I can't  wait to see how it turns out.  I also now have a strong urge to watch The Jeffersons after writing this. Sadly I don't think it's on Netflix?  Hmmmmm. 

All is well, challenge accepted, in Drosche Land. 

Getting Schooled

Well, I've been gone for a few days as things have been super hectic here in Drosche Land as we prepped for another school year. You can imagine how busy we have been with both Amy and    being teachers and having the 5 kids. But all is well and we have survived the beginning of August which was filled with meetings, preparations, classroom setup, meetings for T & L, and just life in general. We survived!  Today was the first day of school for all of us. Amy lucked out with a 1/2 day while the kids and I jumped in fully with a whole day. All in all it went very well. There were no tears this morning when getting ready. No tears when taking pictures, which I love to do. No tears during drop offs. That in and of itself is a success!  Everyone came home excited and exhausted. They are all asleep now but I, for some reason cannot fall asleep. So here I sit, telling you about our day. 

Stella. This year she is in the Toddler 2s class. Little Miss. Look at her. She was so excited to meet her new teacher, she talked about her for the past few days. She is potty trained and ready to go. Full of sass as always but sweet on the inside. Right now she is I so fully into wearing dresses which she proudly proclaims as a "pretty dress" over and over. So we let her wear one for the first day. She also loves her new shoes that light up (thanks Mom!). They are adorable. Right now in life she loves to play with all things girly still. Dolls, stuffed animals, purses, anything pink, bows, etc. Barbies are just around the corner!  Favorite foods are noodles and rice, she's a carb loader. She also loves fruit and French fries (carbs again). Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins are her favorite shows and she is obsessed with any princess movie, The Princess and the Frog and Sleeping Beauty are in full rotation now. She's a firecracker and has us all wrapped around her little finger.  Again, I'll mention her sassiness, oh my!  

Jackson. First Grade this year!  As you know he has come to St. Mark with Braeden, Stella, and I and I am so excited. That means that he is in my class and is the second of our children that I will have taught. He is one of a kind. We have found a good balance of medicine for his ADHD and he is thriving and focused. He loves numbers and anything mathematical. Right now I think he may be heading toward something related to engineering, I could totally see that. He's obsessed with his Kindle and Minecraft. He loves superheroes and collecting feathers (he found a blue jay one on the way to the car this afternoon). He loves being an older brother and dotes on Stella and L. While cartoons of any kind are still loved, he is getting to the age where he loves the Disney tween shows. Jessie, Austin & Ally, and I Didn't Do That to name a few. He had a great first day of school today and is excited to have me in class. With him being at Epiphany last year with Amy I really haven't seen him in an educational setting until today so that was interesting. With as outgoing as people think him to be, he is actually very analytical, sensitive, and quiet. He spent the majority of today just taking in the new surroundings and watching, assessing, and learning. I know he will come out of his shell eventually, he just takes slowly to new situations. But he is a trooper and there isn't anything he can't do if he puts his mind to it. 

Braeden. Third Grade. Seriously?!  Where has the time gone?  Oh he loved today and came home full of talk about his binder, planner, and all the procedures he learned. He loves school and is always excited to start a new year. He proudly proclaimed that today was going to be easy because, "first days are always easy because yet you don't have any homework yet!"  Just wait little man, just wait. He has always been, and still is, our athletic one. There isn't a sport he won't watch or want to play.  He would have the TV tuned to ESPN all day everyday if we would let him. He also is obsessed with video games, sometimes glued to his Playstation 3 and Kindle. He loves to read and is always wanting to start a new book, if only we could get him to finish one!  Like Jackson he is fully into the Disney tween shows. I think he truly believes he is going to turn 16 any minute!  Help us when he does becaus we already are dealing with some of that preteen attitude!  Oh my!  But he is an excellent oldest child, always wiling to pull extra weight and help ell out when needed with the many younger children. He has a huge heart and is a compassionate person, never thinking the worst of anyone.

T & L. Obviously I can't share their photos here. But they started today as well. T in PreK and L in Waddlers. They have adjusted to school very well considering they have never been in a group care setting.  T's teacher said she had a great day and was very excited to be there. Possibly the highlight of her day was her new backpack that she has been dying to carry since we bought it about a week ago. Her teacher is amazing and knows of the situation. She has been nothing but supportive and helpful. No matter how short of a time T is in her class, I know she will do well.  L has the same teachers Stella had last year so that was a smooth transition for us. We know she will be well cared for and loved. Her report today came with a picture of her with a huge grin on her face. She enjoyed it. She also is doing so well and that is exciting. Her teachers also are so thoughtful and caring, which we already knew when dealing with Stella and her allergies last year. 

Amy and I also had great days today. Our classes are awesome and the kiddos great. We are off to a great start. Amy is happy to be teaching the same grade for a second year and the stability and familiarity that comes along with that. I am so blessed to be at St. Mark and am loving it as always. 

So, all in all it was a great first day. Sure there will be days when things are far worse, but maybe I'll come back and read this post during those times to remind me of the good. This year is going to be a great one. It started off a little crazy with the girls' placement and all that has come with that, but we are adjusting and adapting. I know we will have a great time this year, all of us. It's so exciting. Everything is new and fresh. Everyone is excited and eager. I love my job. Well, I think sleep may finally come so I will wrap this up for tonight. One great day down and just a 170ish more to go!  Ha!

All is well, getting educated, in Drosche Land. 

5 for Friday

Yes.  I know it's Sunday.  But Friday was busy, as always, and then there was the situation with Lucy.  Then yesterday was Lucy's post.  That brings me to today.  I really want to do these 5 for Friday posts.  They're fun.  Hopefully I'll get one done on a Friday.  Maybe.  One day.  Until then it's Sunday and here's a look back at last week!

Last Sunday was Dr. Seuss' birthday.  But you just can't celebrate that man in one day, especially when it falls on a weekend.  So this past week I broke from the reading curriculum and did a week-long author study on Dr. Seuss.  The first day we learned about him and what got him started with The Cat in the Hat.  It wouldn't be a celebration, or day in my classroom, without a fun themed hat right?  Of course I shamelessly wore mine around school all day and to carline at the end of the day.  You can't teach 1st Grade and not celebrate Dr. Seuss!

This also happened on Monday.  It's a green tea cupcake with ginger frosting.  Yes, you read that right and yes, it was amazing.  It came from Gigi's Cupcakes.  We have a little good behavior deal going with the boys.  After a certain number of good days they get a reward.  Jackson's is always frozen yogurt from Menchi's.  Braeden's is cupcakes.  Monday marked his completion of his days.  I'm glad I remembered to take a picture of this because it wasn't there for long.  Mmmmmm.

Tuesday was Mardi Gras!  Our time in New Orleans is still a highlight in life for Amy and I so every year this makes us smile.  I also celebrate in the classroom with my students.  Again, another fun headpiece.  We don't go all out but we do talk about what it means, tie it in to Lent, eat king cake, and I throw beads at them.  All in all, it's a great time!

I promise this is the last selfie for this post.  Guess last week was full of them (Amy rolls her eyes at this point).  It's Lent again.  This year I again chose to give up sweets.  Before the day was out I had been offered chocolate-covered strawberries and cookies by students.  But I stayed strong.  40 days is a long time and I'm missing sweets something fierce.  But Amy and I are in it together.  Accountability partners you might say.  She took an extra step and gave up flour in addition to sugar.  Yikes!  She's stronger than I am definitely.  My sweet tooth is aching.

Friday brought an end to our Dr. Seuss studies.  Of course, as with any Dr. Seuss unit, we enjoyed green eggs and ham.  It was a hoot watching my students crack their eggs.  It's amazing what mental suggestion a little green food coloring can make.  Some kids just can't get past it to realize that it is just eggs!  HA!  We didn't get to make our oobleck, but I'll squeeze it in next week.  Another fun favorite.

So, there you have it.  My 5 for last week.  Even if it's Sunday!  Hope your week was awesome!

All is well, Friday or Sunday, in Drosche Land.

Not What I Expected

So, last week was my birthday.  I turned 30+3.  Nope, still not ready to type the number. Oh well.  

It was a good birthday.  Nice and easy.  But it made me think a lot.  I mean, here I am in my (thankfully still) early 30s.  I guess I am now fully an adult.  No denying that.  Marriage.  Career.  3 kids.  2 dogs.  House in the suburbs.  Doesn't get much more adult than that does it?

But it got me thinking about how much life has changed in just the past few years, much less the last 10.  Is this what I expected 30+3 to be like?  I don't know.  Did I ever really think about being 30+3?  Probably not.  But I can guarantee you it was nothing like this.

Now, don't get all shocked and judgmental.  This post isn't necessarily heading in the direction you may think it is.  It won't be what you're expecting (ha, pun on the post's title).

No, this isn't what I expected my life to be like.  I never thought I'd be a teacher.  But here I am in my 10th year teaching 1st Grade and not a day goes by that I am not thrilled with my job.

I knew I would be married, I mean I am pretty co-dependent so it was a given.  But I could never have expected to have a wife like Amy.  One who supports me in everything I do.  Encourages me to be everything that I am and want to be.  Does the bills.  Cooks amazing foods.  Is an awesome mother.  Nope, I didn't expect any of that.

I wanted kids.  But these 3?  They far exceed anything I could have dreamed about.  Braeden, Jackson, and Stella all daily make me smile.  My heart swells and often I can't imagine loving them any more than I do.  Sure they test my patience (also a daily occurrence) but lying down to sleep at night I thank Him for these 3 blessings that I never could have expected.

Teaching at the same school I attended, and loving every minute of it?  Nope, didn't see that one coming.

To have met and made some of the friendships I have?  Again, I'm codependent, but these people are great.

I could go on, but I think I have made my point.  

Nope, I never expected 30+3 to be this.  To be everything that it is.  To be here where I am.  To have the blessings that I have.  To be as thankful as I am.  Nope, I'm still surprised.  God has given me so much to be thankful for that I am in awe.  Daily.  Sure, getting to 30+3 has been an adventure.  The road as had many twists and turns in it and has often been bumpy.  Hurricanes.  Adoption adventures.  Job changes.  So much more.  But it has led me here and here is good.  It's exciting to continue down this road and to see what comes next.

So, maybe this post is a bit sappy and sentimental, but it was a very contemplative birthday this year.  Guess that's what happens when you turn 30+3.  Didn't see that coming either.

All is well, but that's to be expected, in Drosche Land.

Windy

Can you tell it's been a busy month?  Can you tell it's May?

Yes, I'm still here.  Behind in posting and behind in reading and visiting, but I'm here.

Now that summer is officially here (today was the last day of the school year!) I hope to get back into the swing of things.  

It was about this time last year, give or take a few weeks, that I posted about the winds of change that blew through Drosche Land, reread here.  That was when Amy left Trinity and re-entered the classroom as a teacher at a new school.  Well, the winds of change died down after this but never truly went away.  In fact, they've picked back up.

If you've put two and two together then you've probably figured out what I'm getting at.  Yes, I am also now leaving Trinity and moving to a new school.  It was something that began back in January and was finalized around Spring Break.  But I didn't post about it.  Life was busy.  April came and brought the A-Z Challenge.  Then May came and brought its usual crazy busyness.  But I figured today was a great day to finally get this post out there, since it is the last day of the school year.

Why leave, you might ask.  Well, it's just time.  Time for change.  Time to move on.  I truly feel as though God is moving me around in ministry.  Calling me to go where He needs me.  It is something that was stirring inside of me for a while.  A nudging.  A small, nagging feeling that didn't go away.  So I prayed and I listened and I thought.  Doors were opened and I was led through them.  It wasn't an easy decision to make by any means.  I'm not always eager or receptive to change.  Quite the opposite sometimes.  But this was a change that was clearly in His plan for me.

Where are you going, you might ask.  Well, that is the funny part of the story.  I am heading to the school where I attended 2nd - 8th Grades.  The school where I met Amy.  The church I grew up in.  Small world huh?  Made even smaller by the fact that the principal was actually my 8th Grade teacher.  Crazy huh?  I'll be teaching 1st Grade again, my dream job.

What about the kids, you're probably asking now.  Well, that was a big decision for Amy and I.  Again, not an easy one to make.  We have made the choice to split them up.  Braeden and Stella will attend where I am working.  Jackson will be moving to Amy's school.  We decided this more many reasons.  Logistical.  Emotional.  Financial.  Personal.  We also wanted to give each of the boys a chance to stand on their own, make a name for themselves.  So far we have been blessed with this decision as they are both ecstatic about it and cannot wait to start at their new schools in August.  We truly feel like we've made the right choice.

So change.  It's coming again.  Soon.  Today was quite emotional for me as I said goodbye to my students.  This year was an awesome year and I truly bonded with them.  I'll miss them tremendously but know they will achieve success in whatever they do.  Today I was also reminded that I don't just have coworkers, but friends.  The past 4 years have brought some great memories and great times that I'll cherish as I move on.  Friendships have been made that I pray remain strong.  I feel they will.  

There you have it.  A bittersweet day.  Saying goodbye.  Ending a chapter in life while simultaneously beginning a new one.  Moving on.  Moving forward.  That's what is happening here.  The next couple of months will be a whirlwind as summer officially begins and I mentally, and then physically, prepare for a new year at a new school.  But life is good.  We are blessed for what we've had and what He has in store for us.  Blessed.

All is well, windy and changing, in Drosche Land.  

         

Up & Catch Up

So, it's 12:32 am and I'm up.  And I've been up for about an hour.  Don't get me wrong, I like to stay up late and all, but today was a long day.  I turned in early, long ago.  However, Stella decided a midnight snack was called for.  Huh?  I know right, I've mentioned before that she is, and has been, sleeping through the night.  Not tonight I guess.  She woke up and I tried to move her to her beloved swing.  No dice.  Fever (gasp!)?  Nope.  Needs a new diaper?  Not at all.  Amy was up with me by now and suggested the bottle.  I was trying to avoid it since she hasn't had/needed on in weeks.  But oh well, there's a random time for everything right?

So I get one ready, as she decided to lose her mind.  And I mean lose it!  I had a flash-forward to some crazy toddler tantrum y'all, and it wasn't pretty!  Luckily as soon as the bottle found its way to her she was fine, I told you the girl loves her some food.  6 quick ounces later and she's passed out.  Hopefully she will stay that way until morning and tonight will have been a fluke.

So, I know you're wondering why today was a long day.  Well, I was just getting to that.  Plus I'm up and all.  Anywho.  Today was the boys' soccer pictures.  So we headed out early for Braeden's.  I'll mention here that our long-awaited cold front came in Friday night so this morning was quite chilly.  After Braeden's pictures I took him and Stella to his game while Amy stayed with Jackson for his pictures.  She then met me at the soccer fields and we decided to have her bring Stella home due to the crazy wind and cold weather.  I mean, who needs a sick baby?  Not me!  So the boys and I braved the cold and enjoyed the two games, which were luckily scheduled back-to-back.  Then it was home just in time to send Amy off to a meeting with her coworkers.  By the time she came home it was time for dinner.

Whew!  I'm tired just remembering it all.  Or maybe it's because I'm up in the middle of the night?  Anywho.  So, it wasn't crazy busy, just go, go, go.  But that was busy enough.  Plus it came on the tails of a busy week last week.  It was Red Ribbon Week for me which means fun dress-up days.  Fun dress-up days mean sillier than usual kids in the classroom.  Pajama Day, College T-Shirt Day, and the ever-popular Wacky Day (which lived up to its name!)!  Throw in a Field Day for good measure and a No School for 1st Quarter Conferences Friday and I was one worn out teacher.  But worn out in a good way, it was a great week but wow!  Oh and Friday night was Trinity's Trunks & Treats so that was another fun thing to add on.

Amy also had her first set of conferences last week and I am so proud of her!  They went well, as I knew the would.  She is doing an awesome job and it shows with the kids and their parents.  I may be slightly biased, but I know I'm right!  :)

So, I think that catches us up dear readers.  Now comes the hard decision I have to make.  Do I move Stella back to her crib and go to bed, or do I leave her in the swing and sleep/watch TV downstairs.  I mean I'm already awake and have Netflix and Hulu at my disposal.  Hmmm?  Decisions decisions.

All is well, up and caught up, in Drosche Land.  

Teamwork

Ok, so Amy and I are both well into our respective school years and I have to admit, having her also teach First Grade has turned out to be a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Sure I knew we'd be able to talk shop and share ideas, but it's turned out to be even better than that.  I've told her that it's just like having a team teacher but without having to share anything or the obligation to do it someone else's way.

This might come as a surprise to you, but I'm a little OCD/particular about the way I do things.  It's not that I don't play well with others or don't get along, it's just that I have slight control issues. Especially when it comes to my classroom. I want things done my way. The first time. And only my way. I hate being away from the classroom, regardless of how awesome my Sub might be. It's never going to be done MY way.  Controlling, OCD, anal; call it what you will, it's just a fact of life. I've always said that I don't know how I would ever be able to teach the same grade as a coworker and team teach. I'm not sure I'm cut out for that. However, having Amy as a First Grade teacher seems to have presented me with the best of both worlds!

I have a peer who I can bounce ideas off of, go to for advice/counseling, and share things with. But, at the end of the day, I don't have to trade off for any subjects and my classroom is still just that - mine!  See what I mean? She's already given me many great ideas and fresh perspective on things.  I can get in a rut and, although I'm not always a fan of change, I do try to change things up from year to year to keep it interesting.  Having Amy around is only going to help me out in this department.

It's also been fun to see her as a teacher once again. I'd forgotten just how much fun it was to share teacher stories and talk shop. It also serves as a bit of therapy when she experiences the same or similar things as I do. Maybe it's not just me?!  Maybe it's 6-year-olds in general sometimes!  She's having such a great time too, it makes me happy. She loves her job and it's going so well!

Even though it's only been a few weeks, I can tell this year is going to be a good one.  Turns out change isn't always such a bad thing. Who knew?

All is well, Team Drosche, in Drosche Land.

Changes

No this post isn't about the David Bowie song, although it is a great song.  Oh, and there's an awesome cover by Butterfly Boucher (which is lots of fun to say) that was in Shrek 2 (great movie).  Check out both if you're unfamiliar.  Anyway, on with the topic of this post.

The winds of change are blowing pretty strongly here in Drosche Land.  But they're good winds, no storms on the horizon.  It's actually something that's been brewing and working in the background here for quite a while.  Ok, so now that I've set a suspenseful enough tone, I'll get on with the post.

See, you know Amy and I have both worked at Trinity for the past few years, she as the Director of the Early Childhood Program and me as the First Grade Teacher.  Well, flashback to September when we found out Amy was pregnant.  3 kids.  Wow!  A lot would change in our lives very shortly.  This got Amy to wondering if she should pursue a change in her career.  She loved her job as the Director, (and was awesome, ok I'm off my soapbox), but it did entail a lot.  Early mornings, late nights, no summers off, always being on-call, just to name a few.  It wasn't bad, just part of the job.  However, as the pregnancy progressed, and got progressively more difficult, she continued to wonder if she would be able to keep up her hectic pace for much longer, and then when the baby came?  So HE began working in our lives and in the situations.  Or I should say HE has always been working in it, after all HE knew how it would all shake out the entire time right?

Ok, back to the end of the school year, March and April namely.  Amy's pregnancy is getting harder and the toll it is taking on her is clear to us both.  Then comes the bed rest which was, ironically, an awakening of sorts.  This was when HE chose to make HIS plan for Amy clear to us.  Her ministry to serve him through the education of children wasn't over, it was just going to change, be redefined.  Things happened quickly now and HIS plan came to fruition.  Amy's new call in her ministry was to get back into the classroom, a First Grade classroom to be exact!

Amy accepted a call to be the First Grade teacher at Epiphany Lutheran School here in Houston.  Pretty cool huh?  Now we have even more in common than we did before!  :)  This will become effective this August with the 2012/2013 school year.  This new adventure brings many new things to Drosche Land.  Possibly one of the biggest benefits is the fact that Amy will have a ton more time, including summers, to spend with our family.  Epiphany is also only 9 miles from our house so her commute will be greatly lessened.  There are lots of other changes, none bad, that come along with this but I won't bore  you with those details.  We spend a significant amount of time praying and asking for HIS will to become clear to us, and that it did.  We are very excited about beginning this new adventure and I am joyous to share it with you dear readers.  So, that's the big news here in Drosche Land, I was just awaiting the proper time to share.

Now yes, you know me, and may be asking, "But Dusty, you don't do change well!  How are you dealing with this?".  True, I tend to avoid it like the plague, but through lots of prayer and thought I am very comfortable with this.  I also have the support of a wonderful wife who knows my limitations when it comes to dealing with changes and has been an amazing example of living our HIS will and guidance.  So, there's the answer for your question!  :)  So, stay tuned as I am sure there will be many more posts, especially when it comes time for classroom shopping, about this new adventure!

All is well, growing and changing, in Drosche Land.

Y is for Yearbook

Pictures.  I love them.  Taking them and looking at them.  They can help you to capture a moment in time.  Remember an event, a person, a place, an emotion.  Looking back at them allows you to relive that moment.  Being a teacher, the yearbook is naturally something that comes to mind when thinking about pictures and memories.  The year goes by so quickly, for both the teacher and the students.  If it weren't for a yearbook we might forget many of the highlights of the year.

Think back to your time in school when you would receive your yearbook from the previous year.  Remembering everything that happened.  Maybe you missed friends who had moved.  Maybe you counted how many times you appeared in the yearbook.  Maybe you tried to collect as many signatures as possible.  Whatever you did with your yearbook I am sure it was special.

I've obviously always loved my yearbooks.  But more than just getting them, I've always enjoyed creating them.  I was on the yearbook staff in middle school and high school.  We didn't have one in college and that is still something I'm bummed about.  Luckily my own love of taking pictures makes up for the lack thereof.  My yearbook from my one year at St. John was lost in the flood after Katrina.  Something that still saddens me.  I was able to salvage my class picture from that year, but I would love to look back and remember.  Again, I'm lucky to have some pictures of my own.  I once again got to create the yearbook when I began working at Memorial and quickly remembered how much I loved it.  Last year I again picked up the task at Trinity.  I am actually just beginning working on this year's.  Yes, I know it's late.  Procrastination has gotten the best of me once again, but I have a little more than a month.  I'd better get crackin'!

Having worked on yearbooks since 7th Grade, I have seen many changes in techniques and technology.  From the humble beginnings of the cropping tools and orange colored pencils to the introduction of computer software.  Now it is entirely done online and I can work on it anywhere.  It's amazing how many things on that end of the yearbook have changed over the years.  But the purpose of the yearbook and the joys it brings remain the same.  As I'm sure it always will.

I still have my grade school and high school yearbooks and occasionally look at them.  Do you still have yours?  Did you look forward to "Yearbook Day"?  What was your favorite part of the yearbook?

Old yearbooks I'm about to pore over yet again!

All is well, remembering, in Drosche Land.

 

X is for Xanthospermous

Ok, now that I have your attention.  Do you know what that word means?  Don't cheat, no looking it up.  You'll find out soon enough.

I'll admit, I enlisted the help of Google to find a good word for today's post.  But hey, it's the first time I've done so.  As it turns out though, this word and its meaning jumped out at me right away!  It was clearly destiny as it pertained directly to something here in Drosche Land.

See I just took my class on a field trip to a strawberry farm.  I have never been and it came about via a tip from a parent.  Now you know we love a good farm experience here in Drosche Land.  We have our annual trips to Dewberry Farm to pick out our pumpkins.  We also venture out yearly (this past year being an exception) to cut our own Christmas tree.  So, needless to say, I was excited about this prospect.  I'd intended to take Amy and the kids out there prior to my field trip to test the waters and see about it.  That didn't happen.  As it turns out though a trip to a strawberry farm to pick your own isn't ideal for a woman who is 8 months pregnant (lots of sun and bending over).

However, I have a feeling that we will be heading there in the future.  And often.  We had a blast.  It was so much fun to get out there and pick  your own strawberries.  My students, and I of course, had so much fun and learned a lot.  Also, talk about fresh!  And it's a steal since they are only $2/lb.!  Seriously!  That's way cheaper than the grocery.  I know the boys and Amy will have a great time and I'm sure Stella will eventually as well.  I now have 5 lbs of fresh strawberries awaiting me in the refrigerator.

I highly recommend heading out to such a place if you have one near.  It is so much fun, healthy, and inexpensive.  I'm definitely now on the lookout for similar places nearby.  I hear there's a great blueberry place around here too!  Those are Jack's favorites.

Oh, I nearly forgot.  Xanthospermous.  I hope you didn't pause from reading and cheat.  What does it mean, this word that leaped out at me from the screen?  Simple - "having yellow seeds".  Awesome huh?  Now you've learned something new, just as I did!

Do you have a nearby farm or farmer's market where you like to get your fruits and veggies?  It's a ton of fun right?   If you haven't, get on Google now to find out what's around you!

My delicious, and xanthospermous, strawberries!

All is well, with strawberries and a larger vocabulary, in Drosche Land.

L is for Lima Beans

Lima beans.  The red-headed step child of the legume world.  Nobody likes them, at least nobody I know of.  But I like them, I really do.  And not just in a side dish sort of way.  See, I approach the much-despised bean through the eyes of a teacher.  In the classroom they are quite valuable.  See, let me explain.

They are a good size so kids can handle them easily and manipulate them.  They are tough and hearty so  said kids wont easily destroy them while they are observing them.  They also germinate (ooooh, big Science word!) quickly, meeting the needs of the attention spans of 6 and 7-year olds.  They can even be planted without water!  Simply wrap them in a damp paper towel, seal them in a Ziploc bag, and tape to a window.  Then sit back and watch the fun bloom, literally.  Of course they can also be planted the traditional way.  In fact, I have 21 cups in my classroom right now, each with lima beans inside.  This was part of our soil study.  They are eagerly watched and eagerly (hopefully not too much so) watered in anticipation of their growth.

But, aside from the lima bean's educational properties, I do enjoy eating them as well.  I know, again, that I am among the rare few who does enjoy them but I'll stand tall and proudly announce that I like them!  As with any bean they are good alone, cooked in a variety of ways, or mixed together with other ingredients.  Do a quick Google (or your preferred search engine) search and find any number of delectable recipes built around this misunderstood food.

So, see, they're not so bad.  Lima beans have lots of potential, both inside and outside of the kitchen.  I encourage you to give them another shot, or at least plant some in a bag on your window.  Come on, what have you got to lose?  Do you have a favorite food that is an outcast among others?  Something that everyone else hates, but you enjoy?  Go on, enjoy it and be proud!

Lima beans!  Posing for an artsy shot in all their maligned glory!

All is well, showing lima beans some love, in Drosche Land.