A Love Letter to my Kids

To my dear second graders (all 22 of you),

Whew, trying to write without tears may be difficult, don't worry they are just simply tears of time. Tears that represent the days, the hours spent investing in you, teaching you, laughing with you, loving you and trying to not kill you. (you must agree sometimes you were pretty rotten).

Thank you for reminding me what it is like to be innocent and to forgive quickly  For teaching me to kick a futbol, to play in your desk without the teacher noticing and for the countless Spanish words you have translated. Thank you for being real, not faking emotion. For crying, laughing, giggling, smiling and being sad all in a few moments time. For working hard and for doing (most of the time) your homework. Thank you for the countless hugs, the I love yous and laughter. For forgiving me for the countless times I have shouted at you.

I pray you never go a day without knowing how special you are. That you know that God does not make mistakes and that no two people are the same. Neither are you.

I pray you know that you are hand crafted with gifts and talents that can and will make a lasting impact on this world, if only for just for one person. I pray that life challenges you, excites you and fills you with joy. I pray that you get to go on adventures. That you get to experience both heartbreak and love. That your life takes you by surprise and takes you places that even your dreams could have never imagined.  I pray that when you dance, you dance boldly with no inhibition. When you sing you sing loudly. When you laugh you let it come from deep in your belly. That when you work, you give it all you have. When you talk to others you chose wise words. When you listen you listen with intention. I pray that you grow up and become a person of integrity, that you live with conviction and you never settle for less than what you deserve.

Know that for the rest of my life you will be carried with me. When I have children of my own they will know about you. Thank you for the greatest ten months of my life and for reaffirming the fact that God is good and that when we trust him, he writes the greatest story for our lives.

Love
Your teacher Miss Kristina

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Top Classroom Moments

Sooner or later we all discover that the important moments in life are not the advertised ones, not the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings, not the great goals achieved. The real milestones are less prepossessing. THey come to the door of a memory unannounced  stray dogs that amble in, sniff around a bit and simply never leave. Our lives are measured by these."- Susan B. Anthony

Below are some of my very favorite memories from this year and being in the classroom with my kids.... Enjoy

1. Paper Airplanes art activity. Decorating paper airplanes and flying them at my back, as I stood up against the wall is definitely a highlight. Like Red butt. If you played that game when you were a kid or wall ball as others have called it then you know what I mean. On a count down of 3 my kids flew their planes right at my back. (knowing they were not very good at making them, I knew they would not make it).

2. Fitness lesson..... watching my kids as they attempt to zumba and try yoga poses when we are learning about fitness Hilarious.

3. Asking the class to spell the number six. One of the kids raised his hand and confidently spelled "S---E-----X" I was writing on the board as well because I want them to see what is not correct and I about died laughing. (Yes i am still twelve years old apparently).

4. Vincent Van Gogh art lesson. Having the kids recreate Starry Starry Night.

5. Playing our team phonics game. Pictionary that requires them to sound out the word, spell it correclty in order for their team to get points. So much fun with second graders.... they shout out the funniest of things.

6. Seventh Grade reading buddies. Every few weeks we go to the Seventh grade for my kids to sit and practice reading with their assigned reading buddy. It is so cool to watch my kids all nervous around the big kids and the older kids sitting with them.

7. Heads up Seven Up. Kids love this game. They behave so well and play as a class. I have been able to play with my class without having to supervise. (if you do not know this game then well next time you see grade school kids in the states I am sure they can teach you).

8. Super Hero Sentences Hats. Creating and coloring sentence super heros Command, Exclamation, Question and Telling Sentences.

Karla, Andrea, Lizzy, Madeline and Sergio

9. Playing the Sentence game. I draw one Naming Part out of the Naming Part Bucket and One Action Part out of the action Part bucket. We combine the two and create a sentence. For example "Miss Kristina" "Swimming"= Miss Kristina likes to go swimming. A bit cheesy but my kids really enjoy it.

10. When trying to create a list describing the difference between Tornados and Hurricanes the boys could not find the words in english to describe a Tornado. They could not come up with a word to describe how a Tornado takes everything into itself. One of the boys explained, "you know miss when you take my toy car from my desk and my coloring book, and the notes" I laughed, "You mean the tornado sucks up things?" "YES YES, SUCKS, YES MISS  SUCKS". (not sure that is the exact word they were trying to think of).

11. Anytime my kids break out singing gangnam style song, in the middle of class. Yes they do this often.

Caleb

12. After killing a bug on Caleb's desk (one of the most rotten boys in class). I walked over to pick it up off his desk. Just as I reached down to pick it up, he pushed my back and screamed.  I jumped and screamed myself. He just giggled and giggled because he knew that he got me good. (I was surprised)

13. Basketball hooping. Ever since we installed the basketball hoop in our classroom, the kids shoot with paper and often times attempt to dunk. (I ask they only do it when the trash can is under the basket).

14. The boys do this dance, they moon walk and they all get up in front of the classroom and I just stand and watch. What on earth? Where did they learn this stuff?

15. Howdy telling me that it was cold and asking to have the door shut to our classroom. After I told him no, and to keep the door open, he proceeds to tell me, but "Miss your sick, we should shut the door". Sweet sweet kids.

Roberto and Me

16. Showing them basketball highlight videos on youtube. I was explaining about Louisville Basketball and wanted them to see my team in action. So I showed them one of Chane's dunks. They loved it.

17. Genesis running up to me the morning after Louisville won the National Championship. "Miss they won!" "Yes they did!". She watched with her dad at home, she saw my team win.

Genesis and Me on Photobooth

18. Playing musical chairs. We did not have music so my kids told me to clap my hands and they would know when to grab a chair based on when I stopped clapping. It was a day of fun and games and watching them play, giggle and laugh is something I will not forget.

Musical Chairs

19. Watching the Indy 500 with a bunch of the boys while we waited for the bell to ring, on my computer. One of my notoriously bad boys loves cars so I knew he would like the videos. All of sudden eight second grade boys climbed all around me to point and argue over which one was which car. Arguing over the colors and who was in the lead.... it was a beautiful moment.

20. When we sing "Whos the King of the Jungle" an old vacation bible school song. We stand our chairs, sing and do motions. Nothing like acting like a monkey....

Lizzy and Genesis

21. Of course the Louisville Cheer. Watching my kids proudly scream and shout "C_A_R_D_S" with their L's up. Nothing makes this girl prouder. Not to mention it being on TV in Louisville.

22. Playing futbol with the 3rd graders at recess. I had a great header and all of them cheered outloud. Proud teacher moment.

23. Waving to Mr. Matt as he walks by outside the classroom. They all jump on their chairs and on the count of three we say, "Hi Mr. MATT!!"

Sergio taking role call, one of my rewards for good behavior.

24. Watching Magic School bus, watching them as they are amazed that how infection is fought, the bacteria killed by white blood cells, the whole thing. It was great.

25. Helen Keller lesson. To this day I still catch some of the kids taking their fingers and running them across the back of our book pretending that they are braille. Below is a picture of Henry and his name written in Braille.

His name in Braille

26. Howdy telling me that the polar bears in our science book are having sex because the baby polar bear was on the back of the Dad polar bear. I about died laughing and then decided to avoid the conversation all together... (Kept repeated over and over again.. they are too young for this) (By the way the polar bears were just walking, and that is how they often carry their young)

27. Building a ramp with books so Caleb and I could ramp his little cars across the classroom. Never seen a kid so excited to do something.

                         

Things I Am Loving Lately

In the midst of a rough week I managed to collect a few moments and things that make all the bad disappear for a while... (for example drinking rum in the dark when the power goes out, long skype dates with friends, spotting the mouse in the house, and yoga with the boys). I must admit this week had redeemed itself a bit. (aside from a minor meltdown with one of my kids today). Below are some things that I am loving recently......... (photo credits indicated)

1. Photo Credit Joda Haskins, lives in Seward Alaska. He posted this photo and I was instantly in love... those mountains... my goodness, perhaps I understand why my Dad loved Alaska so much. Unbelievable. 

2. Knowing soon I will be drinking again out of my mason jar glasses. That makes me happy. Here is a picture of one of my new favorite things to make for breakfast.... Peanut Butter, Almond Milk, and Banana. AMAZZINGNESS.

3. This image and this quote..... sent to me this morning in my email from the Flourish Blog . I highly recommend signing up to get this sent to your email. Almost every day a small reflection, verse or thoughts are written. From other women to other women. Wonderful thing. 

Some of the words written today struck a cord with me today..

Proverbs 16:9 that says, "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps". It's impossible to know what tomorrow may bring, or even today! The circumstances may not be clear or easy to understand, but when it is all finished you will discover it was never random.

4. Old pictures .... but more importantly two things in storage that I cannot wait to have back.... my Cowboy hat and my most favorite jacket (almost ten years old).... my mountain hardware fleece. 

5. Sweet moments with my kids. Like this one. They looked over and smiled. Giggling about something that at this time is irrelevant... couldn't get over their big smiles and those sweet faces. These moments make those times when they dont listen or they dont want to do anything you ask, seem much better.

6. Trip Planning... Finally now that I decided where I will be going, this is a picture of where I will be spending three of my days.. San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua.  Just before making way to Costa Rica. I am enjoying filling in the gaps.

Happy Trash Day (just for you meg day) Tomorrow is Friday. 

Lots of love from Kristina

The Day My Kids Made it on WHAS11.... Go Cards!

Just made a homemade latte, with almond milk. My dear roommate Faye, it must be her european blood, assisted in the frothing process. With a spoonful of sugar,  I never knew my heart could be so happy over a cup of joe. It is raining.... the breeze is coming through the window and it is game day. It feels a bit like Christmas morning. Louisville tips off at 4:00 and I will be watching, cheering proudly..... although I wish I could tap my shoes like Dorothy and be in Atlanta, you can be certain my heart will be in Georgia today.

As many of you probably already saw......  I taught my kids the C-A-R-D-S Cheer. Yesterday on a break before my kids Spelling and Art class  I decided to send the video to the WHAS 11 news station facebook page. I thought I would pay tribute to cheer on the men and women's basketball team in their run this weekend in the Final Four. Moments after I sent the video, I received an email back from the producer at WHAS11 asking permission to use the video..... What transpired over the course of the day was the video then being placed on the website, facebook page and then shared from there....... the video has since been shared by Louisville fans and Cats fans all over the place.

Just wanted to say Thank you!  (Although my kids do not understand, even when I tried to explain to them). It made me really proud to call Louisville home, to cheer on the Cards today in the game and proud to share my sweet kids joy with my hometown.

All of this aside, yesterday I sat at my desk while watching as my kids worked on their art projects...... I had to take a deep breath to keep tears from falling from my eyes. Why am I so lucky to be the one to teach these 22 kids second grade? I am not sure I will ever understand. One thing I am certain is God is really good....... really really good.

You can click the link below to see the video of my kids posted on WHAS11 News Page  :)

http://www.whas11.com/community/Must-watch-video-Cards-fans-all-the-way-from-Honduras-201629821.html

or you can view it here on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WHAS11?fref=ts (scroll down to see it)

Happy Game day to you! Cheering from Honduras. GO CARDS GO!
Love me :)

One of my kids is Jesus

The title of this post may be a bit strange but I can assure you I have a full explanation for it.

I think God is using one of my kids to teach me how love works. What it means to love unconditionally. What it means to love with no bounds, with no expectations, not tangled up in an agenda or expectation but loving without  any expectation of something coming in return. Loving purely because we are all his children and we all deserve to be loved fully and wholly. Loving because each person is made in the image of the most high king and father. Love with patience. Love boldly and intentionally. Love not because you chose do so, but because he has simply beckoned us to do so.

If I am honest, I do not like it. It is hard. I get angry. This child does not listen, does everything that I ask him not too. He will not sit down for anything. He laughs at discipline and thinks throwing things is funny. There are days, most days actually that I would rather send him out of class then deal with him. There are days that are the best because he is not in class. There are days that he is jumping off his chair and I would not be upset if he got hurt. He gets under your skin and is defiant. He is disruptive and difficult.

But if I am even more honest with myself I know what I am to do......

The more he pushes. Push back with love. Demonstrate through my actions that I have not given up on him. That he matters to me. That I care about the man he is growing up to be. That I want him to learn. That I do not want him to get hurt. Tell him that I care. That I truly deep down love him....... I love him just because the father loved us first and that is it.

It is that simple.

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil

but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts,

always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4

Hump Day Ramblings...

I saw a friend from high school that posted a picture of their family roasting peeps over a fire. I miss the cold weather. The change that comes with seasons. I am missing this time of year when the aisles of Easter candy are in the stores, robins eggs, the last month of solid skiing on the slopes, knowing the promise of the coming spring. This time of year is one of my very favorites

Some say they are green with envy over my pictures by the pool from this past weekend but I must admit I equally share the same envy. The grass is always greener on the other side.... This is an expression I can resonate with. As a friend said, "what people don't realize is that they can grow there own green grass right where they are." So true. Today it is raining.... last night it rained all evening..... and its raining now. I like the rain. I like the sound on our tin roof. The rain gives permission to slow down.... it is the most perfect weather to read a book, drink coffee and lay in your bed a bit longer... After a day with my kids that I would rather not talk about (not a good one to say the least) I am grateful its Wednesday... for my yoga mat, for the coffee and the rainy weather...

Here are some pictures from this week. Happy Hump Day yall...

Homemade Wheat Bread. First time making bread and first time success. It is all gone..... (not paleo but so yummy and so worth it)

View from the pool and the lake on Sunday. Jane Austen along for the day....

My roommate outside on our porch drinking a beer, trying a coosie for the first time. 

Had to capture all my kids standing on their chairs to see the horse walk by... Yes a horse all by itself walked by our classroom... love this place sometimes its too much to contain.

My roommate Kylie dying her hair on our porch earlier this week.... A bit nervous about the box that was only $1.25 But it worked and looks beautiful I might add.

The 3rd grade Volcano Science Project we have been making. Proud teacher. They have done a great job.

As well my kids sang the Louisville Cheer again: C____A____R___D___S! In honor of the upcoming Big East Tournament. Best recording of it to date. They have gotten the motions and the shouting down for sure.......

This morning started at 4:30 am with yoga and again I practiced at 6:30 pm. After a long day at school I decided to take it all out on my yoga mat.. thank goodness for that... July is creeping up on me quickly and I want to be sure my body is ready for 28 days of intensive training....Speaking of time.... One month (correction from what I first said was a week) from Sunday my mom will be in Honduras. (so excited)

 As well if you are looking to hear a song that I have been playing over and over over again. Click here

"The cross has taught me to live, In mercy, my heart now to sing. The day and its trouble shall come, I know that your strength is enough"

Desperately needed this reminder today. Warmest to you on this Wednesday

Scaring One of My Kids

Dear Monday Monday Monday..... lunes lunes lunes. As expected, you were completely unexpected. Thanks for not being the same.

I walked into the secretaries office to try and scare one of my kids today. Yes I did this. I admit it. (Pretend phone calls when you were a babysitter remind you of anything? Everyone has done it before, you know that you have) ..............Let me explain:

I took one of my kids out of class and walked to the office. We stood at the door of the office where I said to him, "Miss. Karla has your "Tia's" (aunts) phone number and I can have her called right now. Do you want me to do that?" He shook his head No. We walked back into class and he sat right down. (temporary victory? I think so)..........I could have physically picked him up today and super glued him to his chair. Why is that such a difficult task for a second grader? I will never know.

Although today was the start of a new week which is often not a welcomed sight. It was a really good day. Kylie and I spent our afternoon with our tennis shoes on and walked towards Los Naranjos. It was really really hot today. Humid and sticky. It still felt really good to just be out of the house, get some fresh air. We laughed at the Hondurans cat calling at us and talked about our upcoming Spring Break trip. A real life adult spring break is just what we need. Kylie's other half is joining us as well, so she especially has a lot to look forward too.

After a cup of coffee in town we headed home and just hung around our  house...... After a recent conversation about what I am to do after Honduras, I decided to take an aptitude test for the heck of it. I found the test on Oprah's website (A bit cliche). The test was titled.... Who am I meant to be? The results were not at all surprising ... spot on actually but it still gave me some things to think about. 

What does this mean about what is in store next you might ask? Who the heck knows.... But here is a snip it of the results:

Striving to Help

You are a nurturer: If there is one thing that brings you satisfaction, it’s tending to others. 

Looking ahead: It’s important for you to be genuinely of service in acknowledged ways. Whether you foster a child, care for an elderly aunt, rescue animals, or support a rock star’s career as her personal assistant, look for opportunities where you can help other people or bigger causes. Volunteer work has your name written on it, as do many careers: nursing, teaching, customer service, healing, social work. Don’t feel pressured to run the company or lead the project; you may be even more effective as someone’s right hand. And you’ll likely find working with other people more meaningful than flying solo. 

If you as well would like to take the test here it is.

Although this is helpful information.........I am grateful that amongst all the aptitude tests in the world and societies remarkable job of telling us what and who we should be...... "You see me, and you know me and you love me through and through"-------- This is the greatest hope that I have....

PS: Glad so many of you liked my bucket list.... pretty sure after I wrote it, I could easily have added twenty more things. For example be on a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade or better yet be one of the people that get to walk with the giant blowup thingies... would be fun :)

March Madness. Helen Keller. Lessons in Our Class.

I do not have to say it..... You probably already know that I am a big Louisville Cardinal Fan. So in honor of March Madness, I decided to decorate our classroom with basketballs. David C and I  created a basketball goal to install in the classroom as well. It has been a big hit.

To all my former colleagues at Graebel, you remember my basketball goal that I had in my cubicle. The paper one made out of a paper plate for the hoop, that was above my recycling bin :) This was my inspiration.

Your probably thinking what a horrible idea. But hey these kids do not know the magnitude of my love for basketball (maybe they do now) so what better way to incorporate some fun by putting in a goal. If the trash can is under the hoop they are allowed to throw paper through the hoop. That's the rule, although I have watched anything but paper being thrown up at the goal.... pencils, pencil sharpeners, soccer balls etc...  After the goal went up we had some practice sessions..... check out below :)

(Top left, it is installed up high enough that they cannot dunk on it :), top right practice dribbling, bottom left the fake and bottom right David  in for the block while Roberto pretends to dunk)

Gisel dunking the ball. She is quickly climbing to the top of my one of my favorites list (shhh don't tell the kids that a list exists)

Above is a picture of Gisel trying to dunk on the  basketball goal. Here below are pictures of her playing futbol with the boys. She and Ana, a first grader, are the only girls that play futbol with boys. I have a special place in my heart for any girl that is willing to get out there and play sports with the boys. I did not capture the moment but just after I took these pictures Gisel scored a goal and celebrated in the most stereotypical international futbol goal scoring way.......She ran across the field, arms stretched out and shouted in a long drawn out kind of way...... G___OOOOOOOAAAALLLLLL!!!! It was great.

Here below is a picture of Henry and Samuel, posing for me as if there was a free kick and they are protecting themselves. Hilarious.

In class this week I decided to continue our lessons on  Helen Keller. In the library I found another book about her that had Braille printed on the back. Side story, last week I read a story about Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. To my amazement my kids did not know who she was. They were fascinated by the thought that she could not see and could not hear.

Today I took the opportunity to write the Braille alphabet on the board. I then gave my kids a piece of paper so they could write their names in Braille. To my knowledge disabilities are not readily talked about....... even more so it seems that unless you are of the wealthier class in Honduras there is very little to offer to you for a future.....

I want my class to be aware of others around them, understand that they are healthy second graders but that not everyone is like them and not everyone gets to grow up like they do.  I desperately want my kids to know how to love well and love others that are not just like them well. Showing them Braille, and watching them run their little fingers over the letters and asking them if they think it would be hard to read that way..... so incredible.... I hope gives them a little perspective....

Here below is a picture of my kiddos writing there names. Some went on to write their families names as well.

I have been giving a lot of thought about the example I am setting for my kids. What I say, how I act, and how I discipline? Am I building them up? Am I setting an example of love and truth? With a heavy heart, I am realizing how many ways I have failed.  Children, as we all know, pick up on the smallest of things. They remember the silliest of things (even those that we wish they did not). I have no resolution per say but do have a few things I am going to be challenging myself with over the next coming weeks......My prayer is to have more patience, to listen more attentively and most importantly to teach them to love people well. I think that's what God wants from us. Love Him and Love Others.

Happy Saturday to you. From my cough, cold, a few spoon fulls of peanut butter, my coffee and my bed. Warmest Kristina

Thoughts on this found below......

Love is always given freely - it’s not rooted in demands, ritual, obligation, or what you can do. It cannot be contained, it cannot be limited, and will always defy the tidy theological boundaries that we create in our collectively small imaginations.

We have fooled ourselves into believing that love is too simple to be the most important thing. We believe that we have to do something, but love reminds us that we don’t have to do anything to be loved – we just are.

And that's the brilliance of love ... it's utter simplicity.

Taken from here

Honduran Breakfast

I have been meaning to capture all that these kids eat for breakfast. I am missing quite a few common things they consume for breakfast but have a good variety for you too see. Yes this is the norm. Yes this is what the kids have every day. Pizza anyone? fried chicken? French fries? Pancakes? (sort of normal). Cereal (very uncommon to see). Baleadas? (beans and cheese in a tortilla).

Enjoy.