Nerd Alert

I am a nerd.

And I blame it on my parents.

And my first grade teacher, Mrs. Coffee.

You see, they are the ones that made me read. We have family videos of me reading with mom and dad when I was around 2. From what I can tell, I was a tad bit obsessed. :) Throughout the first 6 years of my life, my parents continued to buy me books - like every parent does when their kid is learning to read - and they listened as I read to them as often as they'd let me.

Then, first grade happened.

Over the course of that school year, something magical occurred in my life... I fell in love with books.

According to Mom and Dad, I couldn't stop reading. It was the hardest (b/c I was 6 and learning all kinds of new words and such), and best year, that changed my life in ways that I cannot explain. A lot of people I talk to, a lot of my students even, hate to read. The thought of having to read more than twenty pages and their brain shuts down and they immediately conjure up a way to avoid the assignment (which, thanks to stupid Spark notes, no teacher can truly prove if they've read or not).  Put a book in their hands and their start to hyperventilate and get antsy over it.

[I don't know what that's like.]

I've always loved reading. There is a thrill that comes from painting a picture in my mind with the words that fly off the page. From a wizard slaying 'him-who-must-not-be-named' to falling in love (along with all the other girls in this world) with Michael Hosea in Redeeming Love ...books take me to a world that is so far from the one in which I live.

I firmly believe that books have shaped the woman I've become today. They enrich my vocabulary and enhance my imagination. They teach me to dream and show me how to overcome my fears. With books, I get to become whomever I want to. I am a crime solver, a doctor, a lawyer, a journalist. I am a parent whose child is battling leukemia, and an actress fighting through the chaos that comes with being famous. I step into the shoes of all kinds of people. I shed tears with characters who are mourning deaths and defeats, and again when they are celebrating great life moments. I breathe heavily as the character runs from the antagonist (the bad guy) and escape scary, intense situations just by turning the page. Their world becomes mine. I am a third party view to the things they experience. And I love every second of it.

Today, while I was watching TV, this commercial came on for the Nook (which I have, and absolutely love). They've started a new campaign called "read forever". And they have this 'anthem' they've established that I've already decided MUST become apart of my classroom next year. (I am determined to somehow display it on my wall so my kids can see it) As soon as I heard it, I went straight to Google so I could watch it again. It was incredible. And, so, because you might miss it, I've included the words and the video here for you. :)

Til all the books I read are read
and all the pens are put down
and everything there is to learn is learned 

Til tears are no longer shed
and the zingers have all zinged
and the irony is all ironed out 

Til the heroes retire
and the monsters return to their dens
and all the plots are wrapped up 

Til there are no more twists or turns
No more guns in drawers
No more shaggy dogs 

Til rhymes stop rhyming
and pots stop boiling
and everyone is happy and there’s nothing more say 

Til that day 

By hook or by crook
By book or by nook 

I will read

So maybe I am a nerd.

(mostly according to all the non-readers out there. And mom always said that people call you names because they're jealous. haha)

But I experience more in three hundred pages than some people do in a lifetime. :) And I wouldn't trade that for the world. :)

the flowers of the field...

Confession: I like pretty things.


I like making pretty things.I like buying pretty things.
I like having pretty things around my house. 


But pretty things that grow? Eh...not my style.
Having to take care of something else?
More than likely I'll forget.


     To water them.
     To walk them.
     To feed them.
     To talk to them.


[I know what you're thinking: "thank goodness she's not a mom". haha.].


For our anniversary, Lane bought me some star-gazer lily bulbs and planted them in a little pot, with a really cool garden stake thing that looks like a sun. [I don't have a picture of the sun thing yet. I'll do that soon because it's really cool!] This may not sound like a big deal to you, but star-gazer lilies are my very favorite flower!! And the fact that Lane didn't just go out and buy a bouquet that would die in a few days, but instead channeled some creativity and got me something that I can keep forever [they'll grow and then after their season, they'll go back into the soil, and then come back when it's time again. kind of gives a whole new meaning to "there is a season for everything" from Ecclesiastes]

plant beginning :)

If I were to be completely honest, half of me was really excited about watching my flowers grow and the other half of me was really afraid that (1) they wouldn't grow and (2) if they did grow, I wouldn't be able to keep them alive. However, being that it was a gift, and that is was from Lane, I had to at least try to make these it grow.

He said there were only 2 rules: Water it. And make sure it gets plenty of sun.


[seemed easy enough]


So I watered it. And waited. I checked to make sure it was getting sun, and moved it when it wasn't. And I kept waiting. Then I came home one day to this... [sorry, it won't let me rotate it]

baby bloom

I immediately caught myself saying "you're so pretty little bud" [yes, out loud] ...as I stared at the pretty blossom bud peeking up out of the soil. I was SO excited! My flower was growing! I was actually doing everything right! :) 


So I've continued to water and move my little pot into the sun when it seems like the shade had taken over. And I've made sure to compliment my little bud so it knows how very proud I am that it's growing.


[because it can totally hear me, right? haha]


But, I firmly believe that my sweet words of encouragement led to this...

baby bloom grows!

(well, along with the sun and water, of course!)


My little bud continues to change every day. In fact, there's 2 growing now (and, as Lane discovered yesterday, a third one is really close to coming through the soil) and I noticed today that the 2nd one is almost ready to spurt out like the one in the picture above. I find myself checking the pot every day when I come home to see if anything new has happened, because I don't want to miss any detail of my flowers growing. 


Today as I was looking to see what new happenings were going on with my little buds, a song popped into my head. 

"The flowers of the field
Are crying to be heard
The trees of the forest
Are singing
And all of the mountains
With one voice
Are joining the chorus of this world" [David Crowder Band]

The song talks about how creation sings so loudly, making a joyful noise to the Lord with every growth spurt. With my little bud, I feel like the more it grows, the more it sings and screams and shouts how great and awesome and incredible our God is! With every leaf that peels away from the center, with every petal that will eventually blossom...it was created (in the beginning) to bring glory to God, to make people praise Him! 


My little buds may not all make it, or they may flourish into the beautiful flowers they were intended to be. Of course, I'll keep watering them, and making sure they can see the sun. And I'll keep talking to them, letting them know how pretty they are. And regardless of what happens, and how long they last ...


...it's so very cool to have a close up view as creation worships our God!