Lofley Family Reunion

Today I practiced using my camera at the Lofley Family Reunion.  The more photos I take the better I am becoming...I am learning all the tricks of my fancy Canon PowerShot, and I love it!  We held the reunion up the canyon at Craig Sperry's cabin.  These pictures are really for the Gilbert family in the UK so they can see how our family members are looking these days.  To Jamie, Martin, and Dylan: I love you!  Enjoy the pictures! :)

Trevin, feeling the sugar rush of homemade rootbeer.

Makenzie plays on the stairs.

Vonda Kay, not knowing I was snapping photos. 

Anya and Koozie, (Tisha's daughter) at the bottom of the water slide.

Anya, walking up the hill.

Emi, caught with a smile on her face.

ShaNeil and her boyfriend, Russell Coons.

Justin does not realize that I took this picture. 

Grandma Lofley holds Michael Champ, Tiffany's new baby.

Jace, holding still for the first time all day.

Haven checks out a pretty flower.

Brother and sister hang out on a bench and act cool. (Oly and Taco) :)

Cameron takes a break from the water slide to send a small smile my way. 

School Daze, et al

In a few weeks I will be teaching once more.  It's interesting because at this point in the summer, I am seized with a feeling that, indeed, I have forgotten how to be a teacher.  There is much to do and much to decide, and I feel far too immature to do or decide any of it. 

I moved out of Elaine and Lamar's last night.  I am going back to Snow on Monday for a wrap up session with Joni.  As I loaded my things into a car and effectively closed this chapter in my life I found myself struck with an incredible sense of melancholy.  I am staying at JHS, and I am happy about this choice, but that does not mean that I do not feel a sense of loss.  It is difficult to explain.  I am giving up something that was never really mine, and that makes me sad.  

I have made "friends" out of some of my former CDJH students.  I see their status updates...my 7th graders now have driver's licenses.  One of the challenges of teaching, for me, is that I see everyone around me gaining more knowledge and grace.  They are constantly moving up and out (i.e. "growing up") and I am left to watch them grow.  I envy the enthusiasm they still have for life.  They are hopeful and focused and fabulous.

When I reached my apartment, a little neighbor boy was in the driveway riding his scooter.  He was desperate for someone to play with or talk to, and he said, "Hey.  Do you have any little kids?"  I told him no and he replied, "Why not?"  He then went on to ask me, "Hey.  When you have kids, what will you name them?"  I was so grateful for his optimism.  No question about it. WHEN you have kids.  It was one of those moments in time that I find myself increasingly grateful for.  

What To Do

Some of you may know that I was offered a full time job in the Alumni Office at Snow College. The job was offered fairly casually, but after a little bit of questioning I discovered the seriousness of the offer. It pays more, but also requires me to work full time (during the summer too...shocker! How would that be? :)

Earlier this week I sat down with the principal to talk about my options. Mostly, I wanted to figure out what my future will be like at JHS before I turn my back on it. I expressed a desire to teach AP English and Humanities. He told me that I am next in line to teach those courses.

This is a BIG deal because veteran teachers are usually those who get those classes, but I am the one in the department with a Masters degree (or at least the one who WILL have it) and that means I am the most academically qualified. It's a great thing to have on my resume, and something that I would not have a chance to do at most other schools. If I were to leave now, I would be take a salary penalty and I would be making the school scramble to replace me. Now is NOT the time to tell a school I am not coming back; I would barely be giving 2 weeks' notice.

The job at the alumni office appeals to me because it is new, in a college environment, and the pay is about $10,000 more a year. I would also have better medical and dental benefits than those I have in Nephi. The job is high profile and high stress. My pay could increase based on performance, or I could be let go for poor performance. It seems like an easy choice, but I find myself questioning my ability to make good choices. I love teaching. At the end of the day, it brings me joy. I love having summers free and I love interacting with students on such an insightful level.

I talked to Nicki Blair today and she told me much of what I already know in my heart: I am a teacher. She believes the appeal of Snow comes because I would be doing something new and working with people I love, but that the novelty would wear out pretty quickly. She's right. It seems so basic, but Nicki knows my heart more than most. I love the challenge that teaching is, and as long as new students walk into my classroom, I will always have that challenge.

Memories

Wanna play a game?

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I share.  It doesn't matter if you knew me a lot or a little, anything you remember.

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you.  If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume your playing (but you don't have to) and I will come to your blog to leave one about you.

You Gotta Listen to This. :)

Click here and listen to a really fantastic story (Listen, don't just read!)

Blog Tagged

So, I have been putting off doing this post for a very long time.  It's not that I was afraid to take pictures of my life (I must say, my apartment photographs surprisingly well), but it has been a long time since I have been with my computer, an internet connection, my camera, and time to spare.  More so, I am rarely in my apartment since I have been working and living in Ephraim during the week.  Even so, I hope you enjoy this belated Blog tag response! :)  

The rules are you have to take ten pictures of the following things.  You have to do it right away...no straightening, cleaning, etc.  When you have finished, you can tag others.  :) 

The labels are underneath each picture...I am blog impaired and that is the only way I could get it to work!

Favorite Room

What are your children doing right now?  

(I got the idea for this one from my sister)

Closet

Dream Vacation

Favorite Shoes

Self-Portrait

Kitchen Sink

Toilet

Laundry Room

Fridge

And now...I tag Michelle, Rick, and Carli!  Reply to this post when you have completed your task! :) 

 

Alumni Coordinator...For How Long?

I am working as the Alumni Coordinator at Snow College during the month of July.  In the past three days I have organized a storage room and made two offices fully functional.  I have inventoried yearbooks, sorted files, written emails and made a variety of spreadsheets.  It is exactly the kind of office work I was able to do when I worked at Giovale Library, and it is exactly the kind of work I feel like I was meant to do.  

I dig it.  It is work in the truest sense, and does not provide the same fulfillment as teaching...but it provides a different sort.  I feel so incredibly connected and competent.  

Joni is the Director of Alumni Relations and is working to staff her office.  I am tempted.  No, scratch that.  I am VERY tempted.  Maybe not this job, right now, but being in a similar environment is SO appealing.   I love being back in a college atmosphere, even during the summer.  I love office work and all that it entails.  Hmmm.