Katie's endeavors

A Tribute To Nancy Bonne

2010-07-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

I know it's been more than a week since my last posting. This last week has been more of a life changing experience than I anticipated. It has taken me a while to figure out where to start and how to appropriately portray this past week in the Himalayas. As Woody Allen says, "80% of success is showing up." So here I am showing up to blog and do my best to honor Nancy.

Last Wednesday, July 14, 2010, Nancy had a heart attack at our house here in Sikkim. Sao, the nurse that also lives with us, responded within seconds and did everything possible to save her life. I do not wish to outline the events of that day. What is on my heart is writing to honor Nancy, to focus on her life and how she touched mine.

I met Nancy Bonne at the Boston Airport on June 28th, 2010. Aka found me in the airport and excitedly took me outside to meet his mother and his childhood librarian, Nancy. We made our way through check in and security together. She told me stories about what Aka was like as an 8 year old boy in the Beverly Library in Massachusetts. It was immediately evident what a close bond Nancy had with Aka and his family. She told me many stories of Aka and his brother Pintso. She also told me her story about how she came to Taktse International School.

Nancy sent out an email to her entire address book when she retired as the Children's Librarian at the Beverly Library. Not even twenty minutes later she received and email from Pintso asking her to come and help in the library at Taktse. She said she would love to but that she had retired so she could spend more time with her family. Nancy told me with a sparkle in her eye that it was then that Pintso told her she could bring her family with her. In April of 2009, Nancy did just that.

I only know of her journey to Taktse with her family because of all the wonderful stories she told us about her previous trip here. No matter where we were, she would remember exactly who was with her, what they said and where they sat last time she was here. One of the first times I heard of her grandsons Evan and Kyle was in the jeep ride up to Sikkim. She was quick to point out the location where the jeep had to stop for one of them to vomit. "Isn't it funny, that after all of those jeep rides, it was on the way home that he got car sick?" Her love for her family was evident in every conversation I ever had with Nancy. Her time with them in India was very special to her and I think she enjoyed being her again if only to relive some of those moments. When we first arrived at our Chandmarie house, I felt as if I had been her before. The whole journey to the house she told us about the rooms and the bathrooms and where everyone had slept. Evan and Kyle have something in common with me, we both stayed in the room called "La Cave". The house has this great sitting area by the fire pit on the porch. The first time the group of us sat down there she told us about their last supper at the house and how the candles were lit. I just want her family to know how much she loved them and that there wasn't a day that went by without a story of her family.

Why would Nancy come all the way back to India at the age of 76? For a few reasons I imagine. Nancy loves this family. Sonam, Maria, Pintso and Aka were very special to Nancy. She loves the mission of the school and of course she loves to read. I imagine that Nancy was an incredible librarian. She loved giving book talks and she was incredible at it. When we arrived in Sikkim we arrived during the schools' summer break. Nancy was not one to sit around the house and just enjoy a few days of rest before school started back up, she wanted to get in that library!

This is a photo of us on the way to school one morning.

Oh, was she excited when she did. I will always remember a conversation between her and Pintso. She told Pintso she was so excited to see that the library was kept in oder and still organzied with the spine labels! Pintso looked at her and said, "Nancy you built this library." I couldn't see her face but I am certain she was beaming with pride and joy. She had told me before that the last time she was here the books were not arranged and they did not have spine labels. Well, she must have done a great job teaching people the last time she was here because the library looks amazing now.

The greatest thing is how much the students and staff alike enjoy it and use it. One of Nancy's amazing attributes was her ability to inspire people to read. She came home one day from school and told us that a teacher had told her that he didn't enjoy reading and he asked her why that was. She responded with, "Well, you didn't go to a school like Taktse." She followed that response by figuring out what genre of reading the teacher enjoyed the most and gave him a book that she thought he would like. The gift of reading was a gift she was amazing at giving. Here are some photos of teachers at Taktse talking about why they were interested in reading certain books at a staff meeting. This is her legacy:)

Another thing that Nancy loved was children. Nancy absolutely came alive the first day of school. You could just see how happy she was to be back in the library reading to Taktse children. Nancy skipped some of our adventures to places she had been before and opted for staying home to read and relax. However, when Pintso mentioned Smile Land, the local swimming pool, Nancy was adamant about attending. Why? There were going to be kids there of course. While we were at Smile Land she enjoyed taking pictures of the students swimming. Nitish, a good friend of her grandson Kyle, was one of her favorite subjects:)

She also just had to get a picture of Yeshey swimming because Sara had swam with her the entire time they were at Smile Land last time. (Sara, I have never met you but I hope you are reading this. Yeshey wanted to make sure you saw this picture!)

After a day of fun and swimming at Smile Land, we went to Flamboyance, a pizza place in Gangtok. Nancy was so impressed with Pintso because he asked the students to not only thank the people who were making our pizzas but to clap for them!

That night Nancy took advantage of an opportunity to tell Nitish a very special story. The Beverly Library has an elephant collection. So last time Nancy was here, she bought an elephant for the Library from India. When she brought the elephant to the library, she named it Nitish. Nitish was so delighted by the story and that he was famous in a place called Massachusetts. I was lucky enough to capture this moment.

Nancy had a wonderful time that day at Smile Land and Flamboyance. Here are some more photos from that night.

On Tuesday night we were invited for dinner at Babula's. Nancy had a great time that evening and I just remember her being so happy. Our favorite Nancy quote of the evening was, "This has been such a nice evening to be surrounded by good company and intelligent conversation."

Nancy was a wonderful woman. I am so blessed by the time I was able to spend with her. I have a long list of books to read that she suggested and hooked me in with excellent book talks. She loved her family, she loved reading, she loved children and she also loved her Boston Red Sox. We all miss you Nancy and I will always remember you just like this:

Right Where I Belong, Taktse International School

2010-07-08T08:52:00.001-07:00

I am writing tonight after my second day at Taktse International School. Tonight I feel so inspired and honored to be a teacher. I am having a hard time beginning the blog but I know I just have to find the words to portray what an amazing place this is and how important the work is here, the work with our future, the work with these phenomenal students. From our first meeting as a resource group with Mr. Lauenstein, the principal, and the head teachers to my first lesson, I just get the feeling I am right where I need to be. Mr. Lauenstein said he needed us to smile a lot and have a positive attitude. Great, I think I have that down. Here is a picture from me on my way to my first day of school here, think I qualify for the job?

Here is another photo of us getting ready to get in the jeep on our first day.

Another reason I feel like I am just right at home in the Himalayas is the schedule. We arrived just in time to follow the buses up the rocky driveway to school. I have to try very hard to beat the buses back home at Bergen Valley (Sorry Beth!):) The first students stepped off the bus and I almost cried. I can't really put my finger on why but something to do with the realization that we were about to embark upon something very big. It also could have just been that I was watching the kindergarten students get off the bus and they are just so precious.

Me and one of the adorable kindergarten students:

Here she is all by her adorable self.

Mr. Lauenstein starts the day with assembly and the students all sang India's National Anthem.

Here is Mr. Lauenstein welcoming the students back from summer break:

The students sang beautifully and I just couldn't wait to jump into class and start working with them! During the first day, I observed and taught a P.E. class for grades 7,8,9 and 10. I was able to observe the first graders and I was so impressed! Their teacher is amazing and so positive. I should mention that this school is so special and different from the way the majority of schools in India. One major way it is different is in that the teachers do not hit the children. Seeing positive reinforcement and great teaching was so wonderful to watch! I was also able to sit in on a 4th grade class that was equally impressive! In both classes, the students eagerly made room for me in the circle and were so willing and eager to share what they were working on.

In the afternoon I was able to teach a PE class with Mr. Karma and Mr. Nyamgil. They are both so great to work with and I am so excited about them carrying on with volleyball after I leave here. To give you a little history to volleyball coming to the Himalayas, here are some photos of us building the volleyball court.

The 15 volleyballs packed tight in my suitcase:

Sao joining in on the fun of pumping up the balls:

Still working on the smile and positive attitude:)

The net going up!!!

A view of the school through the new volleyball net!

The first doubles match played in the Himalayas! (Maybe ever :))

Ahh success

A big thank you to the Evergreen High School Boosters club for helping me put on a volleyball camp in Evergreen to raise money to bring the equipment. It has been raining the past two classes I have taught and so I don't have any pictures yet of kids playing volleyball but I will soon, I just need a sunny afternoon during monsoon season :) The students had so much fun playing volleyball and are quick learners! Amy Hook, I just need you to know that kids in the Himalayas are doing your famous passing chant! I'll have to video tape it for you, it is simply awesome! Keep your fingers crossed and the prayers coming that the balls don't get lost rolling down the mountain, we are working hard at keeping them on the level ground! We are working on getting a net built near the edge of the mountain to keep the balls from going down, hopefully that gets done fast!

We have tea breaks! How cool is that? Twice during the school day we stop for 15 minutes and have a tea break. They serve tea to the students and staff as well as a snack like fruit or popcorn. My favorite is the popcorn!

After my first day of school was complete, everyone got on the buses and headed for home. Unfortunately there were some troubles with the roads and traffic jams. Half of our group got stuck in the traffic jam while Miles, Sam, Mr. Lauenstein and I waited for the other jeep at school. I sat in the library and tried to find things for class online. The students who stay in the hostel at school also came to the library to do their homework. They also had lots of snacks with them! It was the first time in India I ate junk food and boy was it good! Aside from the Toblerone and the Lays potato chips, the rest of the food was all new to me and the students were so eager to share. Most of them would not take no for an answer so I was forced to try all sorts of new and delicious treats :)

The jeep finally arrived and we headed for home. When we got back we made quite the adventure out of the spider in the Katies' room. This was due to the fact that earlier that day when we were getting ready for school I saw a gigantic spider on the wall. We unsuccessfully tried to catch him but ran out of time and went to school. Mr. Lauenstein, Miles, Katie and I scoured the room looking for the big fella but hopefully he just went back outside.

Here I am trying to blow dry the big fella out from the furniture:

Here are Miles and Mr. Lauenstein searching under my bed. It is so nice to have such wonderful people to check for monsters under my bed before I fall asleep.

Day 2 at the school was even more fantastic!

I had the incredible opportunity to dive right in and start teaching third grade! I modeled a guided reading lesson with three amazing kiddos while Ms. Dingsta took copious notes:) The students did great and they have the cutest way of raising their hands in group, the put a thumbs up on the table, I love it! Another great thing is they use readinga-z.com which is a resource I use all the time back at home! I also got to teach another one of my favorite subjects...Math! It was so fun to use the techniques and tools I use at home to teach these students. One of the students said, "Ms. Ryan, this is so fun, its like we are in American school." I just love teaching barefoot and sitting on the carpet with the students. Have I mentioned I like teaching at Taktse?

Here are my students, they have wonderful names like, Sogyal, Bhutia, Seshek and Rheah just to name a few :)

Here I am teaching math, please notice my comfy bare feet:)

Here is my borrowed class and their quiet hands

So if you are wondering what I am doing in India....here it is.

Just one of many trying to make a difference in this big, beautiful world. Blessings and love from the Himalayas:)

First Encounter with a Leech, a Date at a Monastery and Other Tales from Day Two in Sikkim

2010-07-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

Warning:This blog is really long! Also, this came from the adventures of day 2 here in Sikkim. I know I should have started with Day 1, or how about with my travels to India...but this day was just sooo interesting! So bear with me and I'll flash back to the beginning of the trip another time:)

Well today started out like any other day in Gangtok...I awoke to the sounds of roosters crowing, cars honking and children and people starting their day. By the way, when people honk here in India, they are not honking to say hello or pick you up. They are purely honking to say MOVE, get out of the way! Oh and they also honk when they are driving around blind mountain corners. "She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes, HONK, HONK!" Back to the story...

I got up and had breakfast with everyone. Pema, (our cook), served us cornflakes and toast with dabs of peanut butter, jelly and just plain butter. I should have taken a picture of it, it looked like an artists palate. We also had tea of course:) Then Aka arrived with a driver from the monastery to take us to see the school, the reason for being here!

This is a photo of Rekah, a school administrator who took us on our very own tour of the school. She is blowing the bubbles that Aka brought from the America, Aka LOVES bubbles.

The very first thing we saw was the soccer field and where the volleyball court will be. I am so looking forward to setting everything up and coaching volleyball to the students here. Rekah got the keys for all the rooms and took us to see everything. The school is absolutely beautiful. She took us to the library first and the view is amazing. We are looking forward to being there early in the morning before the clouds roll in. Aka says when the clouds break the view of the Himalayas is incredible! Here is a picture from the library.

The library and Sao taking a picture is above and this is the view out the window:

The school is so inspiring and I fell immediately in love with the place and the mission from the moment I stepped out of the jeep. The people that work here are so warm, welcoming and committed to making this an incredible school. As soon as we walked into the school Sao and I were just so excited and had so many ideas about things that we want to do for the kids and the school. We sat on the floor in a third grade classroom and read the books. In a second grade classroom we read the poems on the wall out loud and laughed at Jack Prelutsky's hilarious poems. Rekah also took us the the dormitories where the students who are from places like Thailand stay. It made me think that this place is the Hogwarts of the Himalayas, what do you think?

Rekah had tea prepared for us and while we were waiting for tea, Karma, the PE teacher, took me back out to the fields to see where they play throw ball and see if that area will work for volleyball. As I walked with Karma, I told him about the net, and the 15 balls I brought with me. My volleyball team at Evergreen high school and the booster's club for our program helped me raise money through a volleyball camp to take equipment with me here to teach the students how to play. For everyone that helped me pull that fundraiser off, thank you! I wish I could have video taped Karma's reaction when I told him about the equipment. That smile, that pure joy and excitement made it all worth it and then some. This is why I am here. When I started teaching and coaching, I wanted to change the world. Now I truly feel like I am, because I am impacting the other side of the world.

Here is an exciting tale from the day...Let me set the scene for you, picture Aka, Sao, Nancy, Rekah, Karma and I sitting the parents room having tea. All of the sudden, I feel a strange sensation on my ankle. I reach down and swipe something out of my shoe. Being from Colorado I thought it was one of those little poky things that get everywhere. But this thing was not poky, it was slimy and quite squishy. A moment later, Aka pointed in between my feet and said, "ohh a leech!" I tried to maintain my composure in front of my new friends at the school. However, Sao read the look of terror and horror on my face! I am so proud that I didn't scream as I noticed my sock turning red as Aka carried the leech outside to freedom. We left the school right after that, and after our thirty minute ride home, Sao, who is luckily a nurse, treated my wound. Here are the pictures of my first leech bite and the treatment:) What a first time event to have here in the Himalayas.

After we finished trying to stop the bleeding, we had lunch. Miles, who is from a prep school in Massachusetts, had planned a trip for himself to Rumtek to visit the monastery there. He graciously invited us along for the trip. Hind sight is 20/20 and after all the adventures we had, I am not sure he was glad after all he invited us:) Aka arranged for our ride and off we went to Rumtek.

The drive to Rumtek was beautiful! Waterfalls, the mountains, the signs, the prayer flags, the scenery, it was just gorgeous. When we arrived we were surprised to find out that there were Indian Army guys with guns at the entrance of the monastery. They asked for our passports to go into the monastery. No one had brought their passports....except for me. Oh and it is important to note that Miles had arranged to have a teacher from the school meet us there, Ms. Yangchen. We were supposed to meet her at 3pm. Due to delays that would make this story even longer it was now 4pm. I have never met Ms. Yangchen but since I was the only one allowed, I went up the hill to see if I could find her and if she could help us all get in. Here starts my solo adventure to the largest monastery in Sikkim.

I started walking up the hill away from my friends and I was laughing to myself about the craziness of the situation and not knowing what adventures awaited me. I did the prayer wheels knowing that I needed all the good karma I could get to find a woman I had never met, whom Miles described as, "well she looks like everyone else". I kept asking people if they knew Ms. Yangchen and they just kept pointing me to the entrance of the monastery. I had no idea where to find her or what to do, so I just followed peoples directions, it seemed to make them happy.

Meanwhile, my three friends are back at the gate with the guards...

I walked in the entrance and was utterly confused from the very start, I thought the guy was handing me a brochure, he was definitely handing me a ticket and I had to pay him 10 rupees to go in. I didn't mind paying, and 10 rupees is very cheap but I was just so confused by the entire process. Then I had to walk through security, I beeped and tried to let the guys with guns look through my purse but they like everyone else pointed me in the direction of the shrines. I had learned from my earlier trip to a monastery with Aka and his Aunt that you have to walk in a clockwise direction around the monastery. So I started my walk and asked people if they knew Ms. Yangchen. No one had any idea what I was talking about. I read the signs and it looked like if I took my shoes off I could go in this building:

The monk pointed me through the correct door and in I, a 5'10'' white woman, walked smack into the middle of a prayer session with monks. I really wish someone could have video taped this event. A quick thinking monk directed me to a seat and I sat down full of embarrassment and awe. I was embarrassed that I had distracted the monks from their praying just solely by my arrival and by my "foreignness". I was in awe because I was surrounded by beauty. It was absolutely gorgeous inside. The monks were all sitting and facing away from me luckily. They were praying in unison and the sound was beautiful. I didn't know when and if I could leave because of course...meanwhile, my friends were at the gate waiting for me.........

Then the music started and the gongs were being struck. It was beautiful and after letting it all sink in for a few days, it was an experience I was so blessed with. I waited while two monks made their rounds between the rows of the monks sitting and once one came near me, I stood up and he graciously pointed me out the correct door.

I put on my shoes, still wondering if I was even allowed to do what I had just done...and decided to leave and head back to the gate with my mission of finding Ms. Yangchen unaccomplished. I walked back to the gate I had came in and the guards stared and pointed at me and then stopped me and pointed with their guns to the opposite corner of the monastery and said, exit, exit. Nothing in the direction they were pointing looked like and exit. I started walking that way, because the gun pointed that way....but then the people there were giving me strange looks for walking in the wrong direction. Just then, a guy approached me and asked if I was alone, I told him no, I was looking for Ms. Yangchen. He said yes, and your friends are waiting at the gate! He told me he was with the army and I asked if he had been sent to find me, and he said yes. To his credit he may not have understood my question but he played along. I asked if he could show me where the exit was and he did.

Meanwhile, my friends are back at the gate still waiting....

Not only did this guide army gentleman show me where the gate was, he took me on an entire tour of the place. Next thing I knew I was taking off my shoes again and going to see the golden statue and the portrait of the 17th Karmapa. He explained to me some special things about the 16th Karmapa and I stood in awe of the golden statue. After we left that room and put our shoes back on he offered to take me to another room. I told him that I needed to get back to my friends who were waiting.

We walked down another set of stairs and he showed me where the army men stayed. He also showed me the zoo. For most of the time he was telling me about it I thought he was saying, "Would you like to see a jew?" Not until I saw the white rabbit, did I realize that it was a zoo.

Meanwhile, my friends are back at the gate still waiting....

I just kept following him hoping he would take me the road so I could get back to the gate and out of the monastery. We had to walk through the courtyard where the monks were practicing. He told me I could take these pictures, I am not so sure this was allowed but here they are....

Finally, we get to the road! During this time I was learning all sorts of interesting things about my new friend, he told me his name but it was so many syllables I couldn't pronounce it and hence I can't remember it today. I did learn that he was born in Nepal, went to school in West Bengal and has been in the army for 2 years. He asked me "How long is your years?" I told him I was 28 and found out he was 21 and in the army for 18 more years! He was shocked to find that the typical enlistment in America is 4 years. Before I knew what was happening I accidentally agreed to go into a roadside store/shack with him for food. He had me sit down on a bench and blew the flies off of a makeshift table and ordered vege momo's for us.

Meanwhile, my friends are back at the gate still waiting....

I sat and watched a man use not the cleanest of utensils and make the momo's for us. I had no idea I was going to be waiting in a hot shack for some hot food while my friends had been waiting for about 45 minutes! I was starting to get worried about them but was still worried about being rude when this guy had been so kind and led me out of the monastery. So I did what I knew I wasn't supposed to do and ate one of the six momo's in my plate. I can tell you 2 days after this event that I thankfully did not get sick from the food. My new army friend and I also split a Fanta, orange soda for those of you that have never had one. I didn't want to get sick so I told him how great they were but that I wanted to save them for my friends back at the gate. I asked how much I owed and he insisted on paying for my meal. Did I mention that by this time he has already asked if I was married? When I said no, he laughed and said "Bachelor, just like me."

Finally we were walking down the hill and back to my friends who had been guarding my passport and waiting all this time for me to find Ms. Yangchen. I never found her but I did find a new friend, who Sao is convinced I may have accidentally arranged to marry, and some vege momos.

Lucky for us, our driver took us to a different monastery on the way home where passports were not required :) It was also very beautiful and I stayed out of trouble for the most part :)

That is the tale of my exciting solo adventure date at the monastery. That evening when we got back I had to pleasure of meeting Sonam, Aka's father, Pinso, Aka's brother and Principal of the school, as well as two board members. We had a great dinner in the garden with candles and a fire. Everyone here is so amazing and I am so lucky to be here.

Things to be Thankful For and More!

2009-11-29T06:42:00.000-08:00

Well, well, well, it has been too long since I last posted a blog. I have been avoiding blogging because so much time has lapsed, so how do I update on all of it....November is the month to remember to be thankful. So I will attempt to sum up my year thus far in 2009 in a list of thankfulness.

1. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to be involved with Team in Training. Words can never truly express what amazing miracles I had a chance to witness and be a part of during my four months of training. Two of the biggest miracles were raising just

under $5,000 for Leukemia and Lymphoma and actually running 26.2 miles! I had actually had fun while running my race, strange I know but not all that strange for me:) Here is a photo of me outside Petco park, yes during the race. No wonder it took me so long. I also spent lots of time stopping to hug cancer survivors and high five just about everyone. Just when I thought I couldn't take one more step, I saw a lady with a sign that said, "You saved my life." I hugged her, cried with her, and realized that 4.2 more miles was nothing compared to her journey. I am thankful for moments like that.

2. I am a home owner! I am so blessed to be able to own my own little town home. It is perfect for Tulo and me! My Dad helped me with the yard a lot this summer. I still have lots of decorating/ unpacking to do. The most amazing part I think is that I found it the first day I went out looking with a realtor. When did I get old enough to have a realtor? Or a mortgage for that matter!? I am thankful for both and all things home owner related.

3. A new car?! An unexpected purchase to be certain! Many people might wonder why you would get a new car after you total your old car, the reason is, I have lots of places to go. So now I get everywhere in my new Honda. I love it, I am most thankful for the heated seats and the sun roof. I love having a sun roof and when it's too cold to have it open, I open it anyway and turn on the butt warmer. Waste of energy maybe but happiness is never a waste! My car is on the right, this is during a trip to New Mexico this summer!

4. My little volleyball team that could. They worked and worked and had more fun than I've ever seen and they finished in the top 8 in our region! Simply amazing. Here are the little darlings with their trophy from a tournament. There is nothing more fun than hearing the squeals of delight when your team wins.

5. My sixth summer at The Summer Enrichment Program. Oh I am so thankful for that program. Every year I think, well it can't be better than last year....then it is. Life is not about getting better all the time. It's about taking advantage of the moments you are given and truly enjoying them. That is what we did, every second of every day. From doing the single ladies dance with teenagers, to going to the most beautiful church on a cloudless night with friends, it was all simply amazing. I only taught for two weeks this year and when I was gone during week 3 my friends made a flat Katie and took her everywhere. I am thankful for that kind of love.

6. So where did I go during the last week of summer camp....the JUNIOR OLYMPICS! Our 17's team qualified for the Junior Olympics in Miami and I was blessed with the chance to be their chaperone. An amazing experience doesn't quite sum it up but that's what it was. My dear friend Nikki drove 4 hours to see me for the day while I was there and we had the best time walking on the beach and catching up. Oh yes, and Nikki was pregnant while I was there, Lila made her grand entrance to the world on November 4, 2009. As you can see, I loved her already!

7. Off to Maryland for a fun visit before school and volleyball started. I went to Maryland 3 times this year. The boys are getting bigger and Caleb is stronger by the day. He currently has 19 months left of treatment and plans are in the works for summer 2011 and his big party when he makes it through!

8. My high school volleyball team. I should probably dedicate another day and another blog just for these amazing young women. We had more fun than I could have imagined and they all will hold a special place in my heart for many years to come. If you have talked to me at all during the season, they are probably all I talked about. Thank you for enduring that. It was an amazing time that ended too soon as usual. I am so blessed to know each and every one of those girls. I have learned so much from them. They day I stop learning from the players, will be the day I hang it up. We have so much to learn from one another.

9. My friends. I wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for my amazing, inspiring, loving and truly exceptional friends. They travel to see me, pick me up when I'm down, have amazing adventures with me and just love me and for that I am so grateful! My best friend Nicole got married in January. I am so happy for her and Adam. This adventure was at the Muddy Buddy with Danielle, Eric and Andrea!

10. My family. From my parents who do anything for me, even take care of my cat while I am off gallavanting around the country. My sister who is a constant source of love and support. My brother who I love to visit in the summer or any time at all! My niece and nephew, the loves of my life. There is nothing better than the sound of "AUNT KATIE!!!" when I walk in the door.

Well now that we are all caught up, I'll try to blog more regularly, mini novels can be so tough to digest all in one sitting:) There are many fabulous moments and amazing people that I failed to mention in this blog. Please know that I am thankful for you and the memories. God is continuing to bless my life in ways I didn't think were possible. Thanks be to God:)

Just what you need

2009-04-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

Training for the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon with Team in Training is changing my life. I started this endeavor in honor of my four year old cousin, Caleb Schneck, who was diagnosed with ALL just 13 months ago. I started this journey on the day of his fourth birthday. I started it thinking that this would be something I could do to honor him and his amazing family. I started this thinking I could bring them hope, inspiration, and encouragement. Amazingly enough, I have been the recipient of hope, inspiration, and encouragement.
Since taking on this endeavor I have raised 3,300. I have done nothing more than send an email. People I know and love have donated and have passed on the email to people I have never met. People I have never met account for 31 out of 41 online donations on my fundraising page (You can go there now to donate if you feel so inclined:) :)They know Caleb or they know me by two or three degrees of separation and care enough to give to a life saving cause. It is humbling and awe inspiring to be the recipient of love like this.
Today I have been encouraged, and inspired by one of the coaches for our Central Denver team, John. I have had what some may call a rough week. I have been sick, battling a cold complete with one doosey of a cough. I was in a car accident on Sunday, and on Wednesday found out that they are considering my car a total loss. I have been running, coaching, teaching, car shopping, packing, and coughing...a lot. (I am moving on May 1st.) I am exhausted. When I get exhausted like this I am quick to note that the exhaustion I am experiencing is self induced and nothing compared to what the people I am running for experience due to Chemo and the battle raging in their bodies. However, today I couldn't shake the fact that I am exhausted and sick. I had a bad morning, woke up late for our three hour run, drove to the wrong location and arrived at the correct location 40 minutes late. I signed in and took off, determined to make my run happen today.

I was inspired greatly by all the words off encouragement and waves from my fellow team in training teammates and a big high five and smile from Coach Greg. As the miles wore on and the cough heated up, the run became quite laborious. I couldn't fathom that anyone would be at the finish waiting for me, one participant, who was ridiculously late, to finish my training run. No one should be there waiting for me when I failed to set my alarm and failed to double check the location of the run...And yet there he was....

John was there waiting, with a Gatorade, a banana, an orange, a big smile and a high five. Just what I needed. I almost cried. Here is a guy who volunteers his time to coach and he waited, an hour after everyone finished for me. I needed someone to say "Good job, you did it!" and he was there to be that someone.

I think everything with this program is so directly linked to the cause. I have heard and seen patients and their families get just what they need when they do not think they can make it through one more trip to the clinic, or one more day. I wanted to be that person for my family and it is so nice that there are people who are just what I need when I need it on my part of this journey. Thanks Coach John, your presence today meant the world to me. You were just what I need.

Love Actually

2008-12-24T01:11:00.000-08:00

On the Eve of Christmas Eve I find myself watching one of my favorite holiday movies....Love Actually. It is a hilarious romantic comedy, the type of movie I love (pardon the pun). I adore the premise of the movie, Love is actually all around us. I am up making a terrific blanket for one of the loves of my life, my niece Madison. At this time of year love is all around us, you just have to be sure you notice it.
Love is in a handmade card on notebook paper from a 7th grade volleyball player. Love is in the many gifts I was blessed with from co-workers and students at school. Love is in the handmade gifts, the thoughtful gifts, the Starbucks cards and in my favorite gift of all, a Christmas hug. A student announced to the class, "Ms. Ryan, I got you something too, a Christmas hug." I smiled, hugged her and then broke into a song and dance that went a little something like this...."All I want for Christmas is a big fat hug, a big fat hug, All I want for Christmas is a big fat hug, and that's what your brought me for Christmas." Love is in the hours spent making cookies, buying and wrapping gifts. Love is in the hugs from family and friends. Love is in my nephew's voice as he covers his face in soap suds in the bath and says, "Merry Christmas Eve" in his best almost two year old Santa voice. Love is in the hope that after all the blind dates, bad dates and absolutely hilarious dates, "the one" for me is out there and when the time is right, God will place him in my life at precisely the moment He planned. Love is wrapped in the strength my cousin Caleb displays over and over in his fight against cancer. His home is filled with love and occasionally brotherly quarrels. Love is in the intricate wedding plans and preparations for my best friend's wedding. Love is in the phone calls, emails and text messages from friends and family. Love will be all around my little brother Patrick's tree as we decorate it in his memory on Christmas Eve.
I am surrounded by people I love and who love me on a daily basis. My cousin Andrea just sent me a text message that said, "Hurry up and get over here, I miss your brown hair." I know she does and as always it was a fantastic time to be surrounded my by family at yet another Katie and the Ager's sleep over. We all collapse in a giant heap on the couch, watch movies and just talk. You see love comes in heaps!
This Christmas season I am feeling very loved. I hope you take the time to see all the love in your life. Merry Christmas everyone.
P.S. Anyone know how many times the word 'love' is used in the post? Not very good word choice I suppose but the magic was in the repetition for this blog:)

YES WE CAN

2008-11-15T17:28:00.000-08:00

There was something I have been meaning to post. Click this to go to a video that still gives me goose bumps. My roommate and I watched Barack Obama become our 44th President-elect. What an amazing moment in history. I am so excited for what is to come in our great nation. The powerful stories I heard are too numerous to be noted here. For the first time, when I go teach at summer camp in Arizona, the students will have reason to believe me when I say they can become ANYTHING. What a powerful thing.

Reasons to be thankful

2008-11-15T15:57:00.000-08:00

In honor of the month of November, I am presenting you with my list of things to be thankful for. These items are in no particular order, just an order of genuine thankfulness. Without further ado or explanation here it goes:
1. Caleb is in maintenance.... what does that mean? It means he has made it through the toughest part of his treatment. He is an inspiration, a fighter and with some more prayer and good thoughts his way will be back in pre-school after Thanksgiving. He still has a ways go but things look much much better than they did in March. Way to go Cayman!!!

2. I am going to Maryland to see Caleb, his four brothers, Casey, Cameron, Connor and Colton, and of course his mom and dad, Mike and Melanie, for Thanksgiving. I can't wait! This will be my third trip out there this year. I love it more and more with each visit.

3. I am thankful for good friends. I have so many good friends in all corners of the world and I am so blessed by their presence in my life. Some I see and talk to all the time, others I only talk to on the phone or via internet every so often. Someone once told me that you are the same person you were on the day you were born. The only things that change you are the books you read and the people you meet. What a powerful statement. I know my friends have helped make the person I am today.

4. My family, they may be crazy, they may not see eye to eye with me on all things political, but they are my family. They have also helped make me who I am today and love me all the time, all the time.

5. My job, during "economic crisis" times like we live in today, I am so blessed to have a job that I can now enjoy again, because report cards are done:) I do love my job and all of the amazing children I get to work with everyday.

6. My night job, I love coaching volleyball, we had our banquet on Monday and I was showered with gifts. That is not why I love coaching, I love coaching because one of the girls wrote on my gift and said, "you have taught me so much about volleyball and just as a person. I will miss you" Another girl said " You are a great coach, I would have nobody but you." The relationships I was able to build with those athletes have made me a better person and I am so humbled by the opportunity to impact their lives.

7. My car, as I traveled up icy and snow packed I70 yesterday I became increasingly thankful for my little honda that could. With new snow tires and great gas mileage, I am the only reason I am late for work...occasionally:)

8. My cat. I love my cat. Tulo is the kind of cat that wakes me up every morning without fail. If it wasn't for him, I would be even later to my destinations. He keeps me company by following me around as I attempt to clean house and lays next to me when I am in a work induced coma. He is calming and entertaining and I just love him.

9. Yoga. Yoga makes me stronger physically and emotionally. It meets me where I am and helps keep me strong and sane. Even on my worst body image days, I can look in the mirror and say, okay I may not be happy with just how big my butt is today, but today I did a handstand, that's pretty cool. I love the yogis I meet and how nice and genuine they all are.

10. I am thankful for my health. I have personally known a great many people to be ill in the past year, 3 with cancer. We recently had an e-coli outbreak in the area my school is in. I am so thankful to be healthy.

11. The common thread in all of these things is God, He never gives you more than you can handle, even if you don't believe it at the moment. Thank God for that and for all things.

Well I know I am missing some things but that will suffice for today. Thank you :)

New Month,New Blog, New Pose

2008-11-01T13:51:00.001-07:00

I went back to yoga today! It is so strange to me that I can get myself into a place where I think I don't have time for yoga. The feeling I have as I leave class and resonates for the rest of my day is worth whatever sacrifice I have to make to get to class. Typically that sacrifice is getting out of bed at a reasonable hour on a Saturday morning. Habits are called habits for a reason and I am going to get back into my favorite habit of Saturday Morning Yoga class! I was nervous to return to my favorite level 2/3 vinyasa class because I hadn't been in so long. The thing I love about yoga is that it requires you to check your ego at the door. Yoga meets you where you are and gives you just what you need. Do you have to have the best downward dog in class? No! My teacher is always genuinely excited to see me at class and often greets me with a hug, if I make it before class starts:)

Today she announced that we would be doing forearm stand....I started to panic and my ego reappeared asking me if I was really ready to embarrass myself like that today....thoughts like, "my shoulders aren't strong enough, my core isn't stable enough, am I really ready for this pose" bombarded me. I watched a person from class offer to demonstrate the pose and she did it beautifully. Then she announced that it was the first time she had ever done that pose! Well, then I started to change my thought pattern and give it a shot.

I picked a partner and she helped me find my forearm stand! It was so fun, I love inversions and this one is topping the charts for favorite poses. Isn't it funny that something we fear can be so fun and so freeing! I haven't attempted to do this without the help of a wall or a spotter, but when I am ready, I'll get it.

Today is a gorgeous fall day in Colorado, I am going to get out there and enjoy it!
I will have a bit more confidence in my step today, yoga makes me feel like I can accomplish anything:) Guess I figured out what to do now that volleyball season is over.
Namaste :)

All good things come to an end

2008-10-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

The 2008 volleyball season is officially over for my team. I haven't blogged much, okay at all since season started. So many fun things have happened over the course of the season. During pre-season we went to one of the players' cabin at Grand Lake. It is beautiful there! We did our pre-season routine complete with running red rocks with the help of my cousin Andrea. We ran up a mountain at three sisters. We also went to Regis team camp for three fun filled days. Once tryouts were out of the way we were off and running. My life was full of practice planning ( I actually typed 90% of the practice plans this season.) That fact should be impressive to my dear friends Amy and Nicole who have coached with me before :) We played against some of the best competition in the state and were able to give them a run for their money. We lost... a lot, 14 times to be exact, we lost close games, we gave games away and we left our hearts on the floor in others. We won 6 times, and those 6 times were all the more special because they were seemingly so hard to come by. It didn't matter what the outcome of the game was, it was always a joy to coach this group of young ladies. They were so funny, so bonded on and off the court and at times were simply amazing on the court. They were also high school girls, more concerned with homecoming and plans for Friday night than keeping their heads at practice. My favorite memories will be those times when the entire team collapsed on the floor laughing. That happened a lot, we had a few girls who just couldn't seen to stay on their feet. We had a practice at the Sport Oasis, a warehouse with 7 sand volleyball courts. We raised money for Caleb through the Light the Night Walk for Leukemia and Lymphoma at Wash Park. We had team dinners, they tried out for the MTV show Made, we had Saturday practices followed by lunches together. We tried just about everything under the sun to come up with win. What we did come up with was friendships that will last a lifetime and priceless memories. It is my hope that at least 2 of the seniors will continue their volleyball careers in college. It is my hope that they will look back on this season with fond memories. At this time of year I am typically very excited to be getting my evenings back to myself. This year feels a little different. I think that is due to the fact that the girls bought into the program and all my silly ways. They believed in what I was doing for the program and that will lay the foundation for success in years to come. I am proud of my team and will sincerely miss them. This has been my most disappointing season in terms of wins and losses. This has been one of my most rewarding seasons based on the impact the girls had on me and vice versa. I can't sit around and miss them too much....club tryouts are next Sunday and I will have a whole new crew of girls to work with....maybe someday I will take a break :)

You have to watch this!

2008-09-21T10:26:00.001-07:00

Just two lanes away

2008-07-26T03:38:00.000-07:00

This blog is neither funny or fabricated in any way. I am not even sure if this is okay to blog about. I think it is necessary because I can't sleep and I pray that people could learn from this lesson. As if I wasn't aware, it was drilled into me this summer just how precious life is. I hit an Elk coming home from camping in Arizona this summer, actually a little less than 2 weeks ago. I will blog about that later, it is just important to know that it could have been very serious. Thank God, myself, my four close friends and the elk were all 100% healthy. The elk's health rating is an estimate but I am sure she is doing well by now. My car is actually just fine considering the circumstances. So that was a close call. The rest of this blog is completely dedicated to strangers......
Tonight I was driving my sister and two guy friends home from down town Denver. It was about 2 am. A guy in the car with us was giving me directions, he told me to turn on a street, I signaled changed lanes and was getting ready to turn. After I changed lanes and approached the intersection, he said "Oh, no not this street". I said oh well I am turning here. I came to a stop at the intersection and saw a group of people crossing the street in front of my car. That would have been okay except the light was green, the cars in the lanes next to me were going....
The next thing I knew I heard brakes squealing and the unforgettable sound of two pedestrians being hit by a Honda. A car much like mine, in a lane I would have been in, if not for poor directions. We threw my car in park and dialed the police. I witnessed the friends of those two people that were struck by the car sobbing and trying to keep their friends conscious I imagine. I watched a helpless friend scream for an ambulance for his friend. The fire trucks, the ambulances, the police cars, the stretchers, the tears, the people, the driver's sobriety test, the crime scene tape, the horrible reality of the situation, I witnessed. The cops kept apologizing for keeping us waiting and thanking us for being coherent witnesses. I couldn't care less how long I stood there, my life had not been altered in the most earth shattering way that others had. In a blink of an eye, someone lost their life, someone is in serious condition and the driver's life will undoubtedly be altered significantly. Please if you have ever thought of driving home after just a few drinks, don't . If you have been drinking and people run in front of your car, it is your fault. The police officer told us that tonight as we waited for the detective.
I pray for the people and their families and the way their lives will be changed forever. I haven't cried yet, I feel so numb. Yet, I feel so selfishly thankful that I am alive and that I had bad directions and was not driving through that intersection.
I was feeling pretty sorry for myself earlier today because after the elk incident, I also had a fender bender in a parking lot today. A lady and I were backing out of parking spots and didn't see each other (maybe because my side view mirror was knocked off by the elk). I was upset about my insurance rates. I can't even fathom the pain and agony the driver of another Honda just two lanes away feels at this moment. My prayers go out to that driver and the families of the victims.
As I drove home I saw a sign outside a church on my street it said "Each sunrise is a gift from God". It made me realize that we are not entitled to another day tomorrow just because we have things to do and people we love. Everyday is a gift and we certainly do not know how long our gift will last. Make the most of each moment, drive sober, wear your seatbelt, look both ways and know that I love you.

Summer Camp Sensation

2008-06-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

I have been at camp in Flagstaff for 2 weeks now...wow how time flies! The first group of students I had were amazing as always. They will constantly be in my thoughts and prayers as they are now back at home hopefully taking what they learned from camp and using it to help them in their daily lives. It is so nice to be back working with the people I have grown to love over the past 5 summers of working together. My cousin Andrea got a job here at camp too, it is so nice to have her here. Just wanted to quickly update you on why I haven't blogged in so long. I have been busy changing lives :) Oh and just having a great time partying with great friends on our days off :)

Happy Birthday Patrick

2008-04-29T06:25:00.000-07:00

Today is my little brother's 25th birthday. It is on days like today that I can only wonder who he would be today. Every year on his birthday I remember how much he loved being the same age as me for one whole month. I remember that I hated it. Today I wish that just one more time, we could be the same age for one whole month. Of course when we were both six, I had no idea that would be the last time we would share an age. I miss you Patrick! I will cherish this month of time when we would both be 25 years old. I know you are watching over me and I thank God for your love and protection. Happy birthday Angel.

Katie and Andrea's Day of FUN

2008-04-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

This is what I do when I feel extremely happy! Can you believe I can jump that high? Look Amy, its almost like the pictures you take of Jonathan! I think he can jump much higher than me :)

This blog is a long time coming. My cousin Andrea and I ran the Running of the Green, the St. Patrick's Day race in downtown Denver. We always have so much fun together and this day was another in a long line of fun running memories. Andrea was cracking me up as she mimicked serious runners warmups and just acted like a goofball all around. So these t-shirts have a story all their own....

Just in case you didn't already know this about Andrea and I...we are SO worth it! I saw this shirt at the volleyball tournament at the convention center and Andrea and I thought it was great. What a good reminder to yourself and it this particular moment in my life, it was just the reminder I needed:) Andrea thought the green shirt would be perfect for our race and the rest was history. We had some interesting comments by people about our shirts. Overall we felt great about ourselves and had so much fun. I was a bit disappointed when a guy on the street said, hey I like your shirt and you are worth it. I responded with "Oh, thank you." He looked at me and said, "Not you, I was talking about her," as he motioned to Andrea. It was hilarious.
Andrea could not resist the urge to take home this sign...

I tried to pretend as if I didn't know her as she took the sign down. She reminded me later that everyone knew I was with her, we were in matching outfits. I have never laughed so hard as I did walking with Andrea carrying that sign through downtown. After we reached the car we took tons of photos jumping in the air like leprechauns...see this blogs first photo. Here is Andrea...

After we got back to her house we tried to recreate the magic for the family.
What a fun day. It is days like these I feel so blessed. Thank God for days like this.

I'll take Yoga...on the rocks please

2008-04-21T17:35:00.001-07:00

Sunday morning I had the wonderful opportunity to go to a one hour "Butts and Guts" class followed by a one hour yoga practice. Class was held at the Red Rocks Amphitheater. I have conditioned my volleyball teams there and ran the stairs myself till I thought I might just throw up. Today I was able to experience Red Rocks in a whole new way. There are hardly words to describe the feeling of practicing eagle pose with the wind causing my yoga mat to dance and my pose to gently sway in the breeze. It was so amazing to do sun salutations and have the teacher encourage you to reach to the sun, and you can actually feel the sun beating down on you and for a moment you do really feel as if you can reach the sun. As we were taking in the beauty around us, the teacher encouraged us to appreciate the beauty but to also remember that beauty also lies within each and everyone of us. What a powerful message. I left yoga with my butt feeling a bit tighter and my spirits soaring. What a way to start the day.

Poetry for Amy

2008-04-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

We are working on poetry with my writing groups. Here is what we came up with today as it was snowing like crazy outside!!

If today was a snowday I would get more sleep,
If today was a snowday the students wouldn't make a peep!

If today was a snowday I'd read a book,
If today was a snowday I would email Mrs. Hook!

Back in Colorado

2008-04-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

I arrived back home on Friday evening. For those of you who know me well this will come as no surprise.... I had a ridiculously difficult time saying goodbye and leaving my cousins in Maryland. Casey and Cameron didn't really say goodbye as they hurried out the door and off to school. Connor avoided going to school for as long as he possibly could. Mike and I let him :) I hadn't cried in front of the boys, well except for baby Colton, all week. I suppose I felt like I didn't want to pile my emotions on top of all the emotion that already filled their beautiful home. Friday morning, exhausted and not wanting to leave, it all leaked out.

My cousin Mike has had a special place in my heart since I was 7 years old. He came to my brother's funeral and I don't remember how long he stayed in Colorado or where he stayed. What I do remember is the love and attention he showered me with while he was there. I wish that there would have been a million other ways for me to return the favor than by doing so while his own son was sick. So needless to say, saying goodbye to Mike was difficult for me. He gave me a hug and thanked me for all I had done while I was there and all I could do was cry. I wanted so much to tell him all he has meant to me for all these years but all I could do was cry. I did manage to tell Connor that his Dad came to spend time with me when I was about his age and that meant a lot to me. I think Mike knew what I meant. Anyway I finally managed to say goodbye and throw Connor around in the air a few more times before he headed off to kindergarten...tardy. Did I mention yet that Connor had show and tell at school while I was there? Guess what he wanted to bring.....ME! I am going to miss that boy!
Here is a photo of me, Mike, Connor and my dad from this summer when my dad and I went to an Orioles game with them.

Well, I was able to take baby Colton for one last run that morning, clean up the house, finish some laundry and pack all before 1pm when my ride to the airport arrived. My experience as mom for a week had come to an end. I cried some more while I was at the airport and speaking to Melanie and Mike on the phone.

Once I arrived back in Denver it became quickly evident how quiet my apartment is with just my cat and I. I caught a bit of a 24 hour flu bug or food poisioning...something that was didn't make me feel very well. I didn't sleep well at all and I still can't figure out if it was because I was sick or I was lonely. Here is picture of how most nights ended for me in Maryland...

Connor is much more fun to read to at night than my cat. Someday I think it will be nice to have a houseful of kids. Since it has been almost a week since I have been home, I must say I am grateful that at this time in my life all I have is a cat to take care of. Being back to teaching and coaching leaves little time for me to take care of 5 boys:)

Here is picture of Caleb and I playing Nintendo Wii on the second day I was in Maryland...

Caleb came home from the hospital the day I left Baltimore. That Monday he was taken to the ER when he spiked a fever. He has been in the hospital all week. Tuesday he undergoes another bone marrow test and spinal puncture to see how he has responded to the treatment. Thank you for praying for Caleb and please continue to do so. This disease has impacted Caleb and his family in so many ways. I hope that I will be able to go back out there this summer. I miss those boys already!
My camera battery died while I was uploading pictures so the remainder of pictures from this trip will have to wait for another day, another blog:)

Mike and Melanie have a fabulous network of friends in Maryland. One friend in particular has started a website for Caleb. She posts updates as often as she can.

www.caringbridge.org
Check out that link and type in CalebSchneck without any spaces to view his page.

Why Mom's should leave sub plans

2008-03-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

1. I need to know what to do at 4:25 and the two oldest boys are wrestling near the staircase.

2. I need to know how to cook the London broil Connor's class so generously sent him home with.

3. I need to know how to cut the catalope just the way mom does it.

4. What do you do when it is 7:15 and the baby still won't stop crying?

5. What do you do at 9:00 and all the kids have eaten are popsicles and ice cream bars because they aren't hungry yet?

6. Most importantly, what can you possibly do or say to make things better when their little brother has to stay at the hospital again and we don't know how soon he and Mom are coming home?

Caleb spiked a fever today while at the hospital for chemo. He and his mom will be at the hospital for a least a day or two. Please keep up the prayers for Caleb. Please also pray for the rest of the family as they cope with this cancer in their own unique ways.

Oh and by the way....I did figure out what to do in all the above situations (except #6, that is a tough one). Don't worry, no one was seriously injured in any fighting today :) During the school day I actually went for a beautiful run with the baby and practiced yoga on the deck while the baby slept. All things considered, a pretty good day pretending to be a mom. Although I am not ready to have an army of my own, just yet, someday....I could do this :) For the moment, a week at a time is good for me!

Stevensville, Maryland

2008-03-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

I am here in Maryland! I haven't figured out how to post pictures from this computer, so that may have to wait until I get back home...sorry in advance for the lack of fun photos to view.

From the moment I arrived here, I have a had a shadow by the name of Connor, Shorty is his nickname:) Shorty is six years old and full of more energy and excitement than I have ever seen. He can occasionally be caught full of emotion and doing his best to fight off his older brothers:) Mostly he is just following me around begging me to play him in basketball, wii, or car racing on the arcade video games they have here.

Casey is the oldest boy and enjoys showing me around the neighborhood on the family golf cart. Even though he is 10 and not 14(the minimum age required for golf card driving) he does an excellent job driving around the neighborhood. He only "hot dogs" a few times:) He is an exceptional tree climber and I will post those pictures later. He is also a master trail maker and practices in the wetlands next to his house. We have been on many adventure walks and I have found him to be the most polite in adventure walk settings. He often holds back branches for me to get by and chooses paths that aren't nearly as difficult for me to navigate!

Cameron is 8 years old, has straight A's this year and just might be the most popular kid in third grade:) He likes to kick my butt in mortal combat, football and basketball. He can most often be found playing war with his army men.

Colton is the baby, 11 months old. He is a love!!! His brothers call him Coco. I have never seen a baby army crawl quite like him. It is the fastest way for him to get around on all the hardwood floor and he can move at lighting speed! He is the most easy going loving baby I have ever met, I just might have to take him home.

Last but certainly not least, there is Caleb. Caleb is three years old and the reason for my visit. He came home from the hospital the day before I arrived and has been quite the fighter. Leukemia has taken some of his energy but none of his easy going and loving spirit. On my first day here, he brought me a game for the wii and sat in my lap for hours playing a mario game. He quickly stole my heart. He is fighting his battle bravely. He hunted for Easter eggs with his brothers on Easter and beat me in Sponge Bob uno. He is a beautiful little boy whose bravery inspires me daily. His smile lights up the room and his parent's hearts. We love you K-man!

Whenever I feel tired I look at Caleb and smile for the little miracles in life. He may have Leukemia but he will have it beat! I was changing a diaper today and looked to my left, right out on to the water. This place is so beautiful, I can't wait to post some pictures for you all.
Thanks for your prayers for Caleb, he is doing so much better than expected.
More to come!

The good, the sad and the funny all in one day.

2008-03-15T12:29:00.000-07:00

This week has been full of ups and downs. I was coaching at crossroads all weekend (see previous blog :) When I returned to school on Tuesday, I was greeted by my hilarious crew of students I am blessed to work with. (Here comes the funny part ) One of the little girls I work with has been sick and was incessantly wiping her nose. I said, just blow it and get it over with! (In my nicest teacher voice of course) She did and then like all kids do, she had to look at what came out....then she said loudly, "Good thing I didn't blow my brains out!"

That afternoon I was totally surprised at the staff meeting. I was voted Teacher of the Year for my building. My response all week has been, "Who? Me?" I can't even believe it. (That was the good part)

Shortly after that, I went to my room and checked my email. (This is where it gets sad) My aunt had emailed me about my cousin in Baltimore. My dad and I had the amazing opportunity to visit my cousin Mike and his wife Melanie at the end of our baseball trip. They have five boys ages 10,8,6,3 and 9 months. That day, Caleb, the beautiful three year old was diagnosed with leukemia and admitted to the hospital. I thought of the time I spent there this summer and started to cry. I can't even imagine how they are going to balance the treatments and the boys at home. I emailed my aunt, called Mike and offered my help over spring break. I will be there for a week doing what I can to help them during this time. Please pray for Caleb and his family. His little body is undergoing chemotherapy already. Here are some pictures of the family.
This is Connor and I, Caleb is in the background.

This is Caleb

Here he is again :)

Thanks for your prayers!

Crossroads

2008-03-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

Another fabulous weekend spent coaching volleyball. Colorado Crossroads Junior National Qualifier was this past weekend. The girls played great. We were all exhausted by Monday, the final day of competition. I have decided that jumping on concrete with a layer of sport court over it, has to be just awful for your knees. My team was quite achy by day three. We had our ups and downs as usual. It is so fun to compete with teams from across the country. I wish you could have seen me sprinting down Stout St. to make it to practice on time on Friday. I was running as fast as I could with my clip board and bag of balls. Ahh...the fabulous life of a coach:)

You will have to click on the link to see the picture...I can't figure out how else to get it on here! Scratch that, copy paste the link to see the picture :)

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/photocard.aspx?pc=5007441

Tulo

2008-03-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

Not only is Tulo the name of my favorite member of the Colorado Rockies, it is also the name of my kitten. Amy has been asking for pictures so Amy this blog is for you :) Since getting a kitten days before Christmas I have been spoiling him rotten. He has the world's greatest cat condo and some other pretty cool toys. Having a cat around the apartment has been nice, he greets me with a hug when I get home. He is a fiesty little guy who likes to wake me up in the middle of the night with gentle bite to the nose! He is quickly learning I do not appreciate being woken up that way. Now I am officially one of those people who post pictures of their pets on the internet :)

Greeley Showdown

2008-02-19T17:23:00.000-08:00

Who wouldn't enjoy spending their three day weekend in the great town of Greeley? It was freezing and smelled of fresh manure and slaughter houses. Thankfully, inside the Island Grove Facility, my favorite sport was being played by girls ages 12-18. This was the first time I have coached a 13 and under team at a three day tournament. The girls learned a lot and played so well! At the end of the three days of competition I left their physically exhausted and with little voice left. I also left there with my heart filled with joy about what these girls are accomplishing despite the obstacles in their lives. I love being a coach and could think of no place I would have rather been than in the gym with those girls. Okay well maybe in Hawaii with Nicole or Australia with Amy!!! I miss you guys!