memorial day. in my own words.

Who am i, really?
a year ago, this blog didn't really exist. i am going to have to change the title from "tales of a first year unofficial Spanish teacher in northeastern Arizona" to something else, something that "Defines me." I realized something today...
I am hopeful. Sometimes I am hopeful to a fault, but I am hopeful.
For example - Like Hannah, I hope to have a child. or several. Not just "spiritual children;" there's nothing wrong with that, but there's just something about being able to say "this is my child." Even if you have to give it up quickly - I cannot imagine how much Hannah had to go through...wow.

So I am going to write about memorial day. Through the eyes of a hopeful individual.
In my very own words.

What is memorial day?
Sure, it's about remembering our amazing armed forces and all the military people for choosing to serve our country and keep us safe, but...
to me, it's so much more.

A day to reflect, to ponder, to remember.
what do those words even mean?

people gone, people absent, people far away...
i remember them. sometimes not always but still.
little things -
smiles, hugs, gestures,

words
kind words
encouraging words
scalpel-like precisionate words
angry words that i try to forget
buliding blocks
words that hurt and heal both and yet.
yet these words still remain, lingering around my head.
and i remember them
(not just the words, but the people that uttered them).

everything else possible to remember, i remember.
smells - certain smells
boy smells
people smells
dressed-up smells
working smells
the smell of a flea market on a Saturday early afternoon
smells after a rain or snow reminiscent of muddy christmas trees
the smell of white-out drawings on my teacher desk :)
smells of coffee at church

and voices.
bass voices suddenly resonating behind me in church
little voices serenading me, looking for me from across the room.
grown up voices approving and disapproving of who i am
voices voicing their frustrations to me, a giant ear ready to listen
friendly voices welcoming me wherever i am.

All these I remember, and more, in my own "Memorial Day."
Thank you for being part of who I am.

the voices of my friends, my little brothers, their laughter,

Translation of Don Quijote (the comic book), as written by one of my students.

Not long ago in a place called Snoogens lived a gnarly old dude named Joel Dudeson. One night as Joel Dudesom was reading a book about knights and other heroic things, he wished that he was a knight, but also wished he had a Maxim magazine, anyways he thought of being a knight so he got up from his chair (that's for old people) and grabbed a sword pretending to be a knight. There were two chicks named Deanna, the other named Tara. They heard a noise so they went to check it out, but as they saw what it was, it was just a crazy old man with a sword. Deanna thought to herself, "What is this crazy old foo up to?" And Tara "mmmmm... look at that sexy trying to be a knight!"

Chapter 2
The next day Joel Dudeson went into his shaggin shed and put on some armor and grabbed some weapons, jumped on his horse, and rode off to see the lady of his drams. To win her heart he must defeat another dude to win his ladies heart fair and square.

from "The Birthright" - JanetteOke and T Davis Bunn

"Nicole continued to pray for God's guidance, but in her heart she felt she'd already been given her answer. To refuse to go, she felt strongly, would be denying what God had been gently urging her to do. One day she would agree with the plan, her body tingling with excitement, then the next day she would draw back, fearing the unknown. But in her heart she did not waver in her decision. She would go in obedience. Still, she couldn't bring herself to discuss it with Andrew and Catherine. Nicole dreaded the thought of fighting through another decision that would rend herself from the family she loved."

oraciones

make my heart more like yours
and make me able to see where you can use me
ya lublyiu tebya, abba!

numberage

It is at least $2,000 for a round-trip to Turkmenistan.

It was at least 84 degrees (F) today.

Brave Saint Saturn has more than 18 songs on my computer.

I have 4 brothers.

Mitchell discovered i have infinitesimal knots in my back/neck/shoulders. anyone wanna help remove them?

Phil Wickham is a soother.

I just bought the mp3s from Phillip LaRue's new cd. (without Natalie, sad day.). . . It was agood investment. I have to lyricise research still, though.
and do homeworks.

Abba, show me where your heart lies. make mine align with that.
te amo. y extraño.

567енгриоташгрылидмьп щудкл пуылдпя жкоыдочжлщыеко
which means aieuhtj serto siejgpoalnergoiaske gosierlgj

(in Russian)

ciao, bella!

"Scheduled outage at 2:00am PDT on Monday (5/11)."
hahaha