Kids & the Election

I'm teaching an election unit to my 5th graders right now. At the beginning of the week, we studied the candidates. As homework, I asked each student to write down 5 questions they would like to ask Senator McCain and Senator Obama, if they were to come into class the next day. Their questions blew me away! Perhaps the kids need to be the ones doing all the asking...

Huh.

You remember when you were a kid, and you got a haircut that you were excited about, until you actually saw it on YOU? That moment when you looked in the mirror and realized that you were going to have to go out in public like that?

That's me right now.

Don't get me wrong: my beautiful friend Alison who cut my hair did EVERYTHING I asked her too - she's great...I think my judgment was slightly impaired by the presidential debates we were watching while cutting the hairs. I asked her to keep cutting it shorter, and shorter and shorter...until I asked if we could put an inch back. I've gotten lots of "it looks incredible!" and a few "wow. it's different" - which shout at me louder than the others. Eh. It's only hair. And it'll grow back. Right?

Truth at Last

An old friend and I were chatting tonight about the male mind (dare we even approach such inexplainable things), and the conversation was too good not to post....

me: Brett, explain to me how exactly the male mind works.

Brett: There's really no understanding out minds. Assuming that we have them...actually, our minds are so simple compared to the female version that what you think is misunderstanding is simply y'all lapping the field on us.

Thanks for clearing that up, Dr. Cooper!

Jorge and Jesus

I'm dismissing a 5th grade class today, and we have a few minutes to spare before it's time to go home. I walk over to Jorge, who happens to be one of the funniest kids I know. He asks if we could play Heads Up, 7-Up. I told him there wasn't enough time, but maybe another day. He pulls a picture out of his homework folder, with the head of the person covered by his fingers. He tells me he'll give me the photo if we can play. I tell him that I didn't want a photo of his brother. He pulls back his fingers, and shows me that the photo is of Jesus. He gives me a strange look, and says "Miss Miles, it's not my brother. It's Jesus. He watches out for me." We talk for a second about the photo, and then....THEN, Jorge looks at me with a very serious look on his face, and says this: "Miss Miles, Jesus don't like sports. He can play them, He just don't like 'em."

Seriously. I have NO idea where it came from. But, in case you're wondering if Jesus would like to kick the ball around abit, according to Jorge, the answer is no.

To Be 10 Again...

Today, in class:

me: On Friday, we're going to play Jeopardy.

one of my students: Yes! Sweet Cinnamon Buns!

Friendships Make the World Go Round

My best friend got married last night. It was beautiful, elegant, and insanely fun! It was great to spend several days before the wedding with her, but I'm back home in Kansas, missing the heck out of California. I've been thinking today about our friendship, and how beautiful it is. About how much I need her around to stabilize my life, to lend an ear to listen, or a shoulder to cry on. This girl knows my insides and my outs and loves me the same. The fact that I can be 100% myself when I'm with her is what truly makes it work so well: when we are together, I have no walls up, no boundaries that can't be crossed, and will go out of my way to make a fool of myself: because I know she is doing the same. I am truly myself with Liz - the person God intended for me to be. This is what true friendships are about - and are the most beautiful treasure when they are found!

Uh...Come Again?

Setting the Stage: California for my best friend's wedding.

Who: Liz & Josh, Me, Josh's mom, dad, and brother.

The conversation:

Josh: So how did you like San Francisco, Dad?

His dad: It was great! Nothing like I thought. I expected to see half naked and gay people running around.

Yep. I witnessed this.