Christmas Card 2010

Well, it's done! Our Christmas card, that is! After messing around on the Shutterfly website for WAY too long, I finally found one that I liked and that looked good with our picture. First I started with two pictures, then decided one would be sufficient. Well, once I made the decision to downgrade to one picture, it then took me over 30 minutes to decide on a card I liked. And there were plenty which were in the running. Now that all is said and done, I'm really happy with the one I chose.

I was going to share what our card looks like, but I have a few readers who will be getting a card from us, so I'm going to keep my design to myself until they are mailed. Sorry.

But if you'd like to make your OWN Christmas card, click here. I promise you will find something you'd like!

Christmas Cards

Welp, it is that time of year again, isn't it? I'm the traditional "buy cards, write in them, and send them out" gal and that is what I've always done. Let me tell you, it's about a week process to address each card, think of a different sentiment, and then address the envelopes. Well, this year is going to be different! :)

Over the past few years we have received photo cards from family and friends. Do you send photo cards? I never understood the ease of sending cards like this until my mom and sister told me of their experiences, and with the plethora of photo cards we receive increasing each year, I thought maybe I should jump aboard the photo card train. I must admit, I thought John and I were too boring to not have to send a photo card. I mean, we don't have children to show off, and we don't travel to exotic places, but I guess it isn't where the photo is taken or who is in it, along as it is from us. Then I got to thinking...what picture should we use? We went on one vacation this year, to Phoenix, and would you believe we did not get one picture together the whole six days we were there? So, I've decided Myra, my mother-in-law, will have to take our holiday picture this year when she visits for Thanksgiving. We'll have one of our furbabies, Cider, pose in the picture with us in front of our fireplace, if we can get to her sit still long enough. I doubt we can get our cats (Felix, who hates Cider, or Bailey, who can't sit still) to be in the picture. Now the question becomes, what shall we wear? Decisions, decisions, decisions.

So for our first ever photo cards, we're going to use Shutterfly. I can't believe the deal I'm getting that is just for bloggers ~ bloggers get 50 free holiday cards! Sign up by going to Shutterfly. I love looking at everything Shutterfly sells...from photo mugs to their photo calendars, which my sister gives my mom every year. Shutterfly has the such unique gifts.

So there you have it...our Christmas cards will be mailed (hopefully) early December. And for the first time in a long time, I'm excited about doing Christmas cards!

Challenge Day

Today at GLH.S. I had the privilege of participating in an event called Challenge Day. To lift exactly from the organizations' website (challengeday.org), the vision is "that every child lives in a world where they feel safe, loved and celebrated" and their mission is to "provide youth and their communities with experiential programs that demonstrate the possibility of love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth, and full expression".

Going in to today I had heard the buzz about Challenge Day, but not much more. There is a show in M.TV called "If You Really Knew.Me" which showcases schools around the country who have used this program. To keep myself truly in the dark I've not watched one episode but have heard my students commenting about the program. I guess it is pretty close to what I experienced today.

I can say now, having gone through the program, that I have a new found appreciation, new understanding, and new eyes for the lives the 125 students in that room lead once they leave our building each day at 2:50.

The day is started off with uplifting activities, allowing students, staff, and community members to drop their guard and prepare for opening their minds and their hearts. Next came small group discussions. I was paired with five students I had never met or even seen before. The stories which were shared in my "family" of students (as the program leaders called them) made me say "wow".

But the activity which got to me the most was called "Walk the Line". The premise is those who fit the category called out are to walk to the other line across the way and then look at those who are not standing next to you. Likewise, those who didn't walk are to look at those who identify with the category called out. To see boys, girls, men, and women cross the line for a variety of categories brought me to tears. Even times when I had to cross the line caused tears to run down my face. The vulnerability of our fears, our problems, our lives were gone. We were not 25 adults and 125 students...we were 150 human beings with real problems, real emotions, and real big hearts. The outpouring of support and love shown to the people who crossed to the other line was something I will never forget. Even standing on the other line myself, looking out into the crowd of people who had not spent a moment in my shoes, going through what I had experienced to make me cross to that line, is again, something I will never forget.

After going through all of the discussions, the fun activities, and the eye-opening activities, I sit here tonight knowing that tomorrow I am going to be a better teacher. I promise to challenge myself to look beyond what I see on the outside of my students' shell, and to try to get to know what drives him or her every day, what makes him or her happy or sad, what their home life is like. No, I won't impact or reach all students, but if I can be a better, more compassionate teacher in the lives of a handful of students, I know I will have come away from Challenge Day a better person.