First Week Highlights

Here are some highlights from the first week:

• We have an opening and closing circle time, after which the students are excused to wash their hands for breakfast and lunch. To reduce chaos at the sink, we have "excusal songs" The first one is: The Friend Song (to the tune of Skip to my Lou"

I have a friend with a _____ (red shirt on, bow in her hair, stripes on his pants, etc)
I have a friend with________
I have a friend with__________
And his/her name is_______ (insert name)
Since most of my students are native spanish speakers, it's a great language opportunity to discuss colors, stripes, buttons, etc. And it's fun to see look around to see who we are singing about. One morning we were singing about a girl with earrings, and a little boy piped up, "I have an earring, too!"

Here is the closing "excusal song"
Willaby Willaby (weather) an elephant sat on Heather (move on to next child)
I brought my large stuffed elephant from home and when I sing it to them I throw it to them, and they toss it back to me. I initally thought the elephant might be a problem, that they would hold on to it, but so far so good! I suppose throwing is more fun!

And I use a cowbell to get their attention- hopefully it is not in the same category as the bosn' whistle and Sound of Music- I try to be humane about it!

One day we had tuna fish sandwiches for lunch, and one of my native ESL boys took it apart and looked at it curiously before asking me, "What this?" I didn't know the word for "tuna fish" in Spanish, so I said, "It's pescado" (fish) Oh, OK. Smile, keep eating! Perhaps I should speak more English and less Spanish, but I such a bang out of conversing in a foreign tongue with a 4 year old. And sometimes directions in Spanish (sit down, we are not playing right now, eat your food please)- go over better in Spanish.

Work Reflections

Here are some highlights of the first week of teaching at Head Start and also working as a family advocate for Head Start.

• However crazy it might have been to schedule 17 home visits, arrange transportation, find the homes, etc I really enjoyed it! I met some wonderful families with stories- a mother who just got her pharmacy tech license, two parents who have degrees from University of Mexico but gave it up and moved here for their son. I loved, loved being able to use Spanish to speak with my families and appreciated their patience on my behalf.....
• 
  
• We were very well treated at the homes- at one home the grandfather served me and co-worker apple juice and pecan sandies. My co-worker said in Spanish, "this is just like a cafe!" To which I responded, in Spansish, "Lo siento. No tengo dinero con mi." I'm sorry I don't have any money with me. When the grandfather laughed, and I could crack a joke in Spanish. I felt very blessed! "Yes, we're communicating!"

• In case anyone wonders what a family advocate does: lots of paperwork and filing, (which can actually be rather relaxing) talk with parents on a regular basis, make referrals for needed services such as food, clothing, shelter, health insurance, etc, hold monthly parent meetings.
  

• There are a lot of things that I enjoy about my specific work site, and there are many blessings as well! First: I get freshly made breakfast, lunch and snack- and it's free!!!! Second, I don't have a "family advocate office" per se, but there is a staff office that I can use at my disposal, as well as a computer lab with large tables (where I can color, cut and arrange for lamination, etc) and free color printing!!!!

• Another blessing is transportation. I don't have my own car (yet) but transporation thus far has not been a major stress. There is a bus route for any meetings that I need to go to, so I always have a back-up plan, but I have rides arranged for my weekly advocate meetings with another FA, and to get to my classes at the U, I ride with my good friend. She has the same grad classes as me and is the one who encouraged me to apply for head start in the first place. This is her 8th year at Head Start. Thanks, Amy!!!
  

I Love You Sashee!!!

OK, as a disclaimer, let me first say that I love ALL my nieces, equally! Ashley (Sashee) just happens to be the one I see the most often...
And, I am biased, but that's my job as the aunt, right? Plus, if you don't have your own kids, talk about someone else's!!! For the record, she is not my child, she belongs to my sister Deborah.

This girl can make me smile (or frown) faster than anyone I know. Whenever I hear or think of someone who is discouraged/down on life, I think, "They should spend an hour with Sashee. Then they would feel better!"

There are moments though..... my first full day back from Taiwan and back in a U.S. time zone, I was baby-sitting Carter and Ashley because her parents had just bought a new home and were finishing the wood floors. About halfway through the day, I was exhausted and so when she got hold of my cell phone I let her play with it, thinking, "It's turned off, so what can she do to it?" Little did I know.....

Within five minutes she had managed to pull 8 out of the 10 buttons out/off of my cell phone! I kept them taped on for a few months till I got a new phone. At least the phone still worked. Thank goodness for scotch tape!!! A powerful lesson for me...

But the most loving experience related to her I heard about the other night when Debo and kids stopped by. Ashley has taken to talking on her pretend phone these days. And she pretends to be me!!!! Her mom is "Grandma Litster"

At the risk of sounding too Hallmark card-ish, seriously, having your 2 year old niece pretend to be you.... means a LOT!!! I love you Sashee!!!

Service and Singing Laurels

First of all, I mean not at all to make light of this situation- but honestly, it's kind of fun when someone inquires about your plans and can tell them, "Sorry, I can't. I have to go help feed the homeless" And have it actually be true!

Yesterday a group of us from the singles ward went to a Catholic food kitchen in downtown Salt Lake, my first time there. There is a very special spirit about the place, only one man there is a paid employee, they rely on regular volunteers to keep the place going. The lone employee said he does love work when it bothers him when people complain about the food, when they ask for something different, etc. A lack of gratitude bothers him. A lesson I need to remember, as I am sure there are times when I forget to acknowldege my gratitude before the Lord.

I did a variety of tasks, add milk to a large vat with ground beef, but it was a mystery to several of us- what recipe requires several gallons of milk and seasoned ground beef??? About an hour later we learned what it was- gravy for biscuits! I also unpacked and loaded croissants in tubs to be covered with plastic wrap and put in the walk-in freezer. The first time I went in there, the door closed behind me and there was a moment of serious panic when I realized there was no doorknob! Thankfully, I just happened to push on the door and made it out safely!

I also wrapped forks in napkins, served scoops full of scrambled eggs, and sampled a biscuit.
I have never seen such large vats before, though! Thankfully I didn't have to stir, there was a height issue.... And there is something about seeing eggs and gravy made on such a large scale that makes your stomach turn for a bit..... But the biscuits were very light and flaky!

Now for the singing laurels- who insisted that the time would go by much faster if we sang and tried unsuccessfully to get all the adults singing camp songs with them- with classic lines such as, "Come on! Haven't you been to girls camp???" Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of girls camp songs, but in a catholic soup kitchen? Not so much... (I did sing in the car ride home, though! Group singing.) Still every time I heard strains of "Misty Song," "Spiderweb" "Walk Tall," I would try to remind myself, "God bless them for their enthusiasim!"

Can't wait to go back!

Fireworks in the Rain

The celebration of Midvale City "Harvest Days" concluded with a concert in the park, the artist being Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band. My soon-to-be roommate Dana came with me and we shared a picnic dinner of brie cheese and french bread, fruit salad and chocolate covered rice krispie treats. Dana doesn't know yet that I tend to have a rice krispie obsession.....

Later we were joined by others in our singles ward and we all enjoyed the concert together. This was my first time hearing Ryan Shupe's and I look forward to hearing his music again. The only down side was the threatening rain.... pause for dramatic effect... yikes!!! It rained sporadically throughout the night, but Nate Long lent me and Dana his smiley face umbrella so it wasn't so bad...

The real rain though, held off until the end of fireworks. Towards the end of Neil Diamond's "Coming to America" (classic song- I even know all the words from 4th grade) it started to pour, big, fat drops! We were soaked within minutes- but you know what? No one really cared! When else can you watch fireworks and get soaked at the same time?! I think it improved the quality of the fireworks, actually...

However, the rain would make you care if you were my friend Crystal, who had just bought a scooter the day before, driven it to the park that night. Without any rain gear, she faced a several minute drive home in the rain! Not ideal, but I called her later that night and she made it home OK, she just didn't make it home dry....

BIG NEWS!!!

I have taken a job with head start- a very good job! Good pay and my first job with full benefits! I will teach a class of approximately 15 3-4 year olds in the morning and in the afternoon I will consult/have meetings with parents and families. I am really excited to be a professional preschool teacher. I love that age of students and I am excited to use my years of experience and ideas and learn LOT more in the process!

They have agreed to work with my school schedule and each semester schedule will bring its own challenges, but I am focusing on the fact that this semester is worked out, and I'll take it one at a time.... This will delay my graduation becuase I will have fewer classes during the semester, and if I want to do student teaching in the summer, it might take longer. But I know what I am getting into, I'm making the choice, so no worries!

My other big news is that I am MOVING! I am moving, roommates with another girl in my ward, who is also a special education teacher. I also will love across the street from TRAX, get the master bedroom and walk-in closet, gym and pool, and it's within walking distance of my church. It really is an ideal situation. Come visit me any time!

I definitely have a range of emotions these days- excitement, fear, sadness, happiness. I have wondered if I am crazy to start a new school semester, job and apartment, consecutively- And that when I have a job that could help me build more savings, I decide to move! So if you are thinking, "Heather, are you CRAZY???" I don't mind! Just don't encourage thoughts of my craziness to my mom and dad..... But even though it might be a crazy week or so, I am moving ahead! I can't stop time and I have committed to all of these things, so I am choosing to focus on the opportunities instead of the "what-if?"

Memory of Smelly S'mores

If you know me well, you have probably heard me use the phrase, (or a variation of it) "Well, at least I/we made a good memory!"

Such was the case last night, as I gathered with some friends at their home to watch a movie. And where there's a movie, there's refreshments, right? Since some of us had been in the canyon the night before, but hadn't been able to stay for s'mores.... we decided we would make our own that time, via the microwave. I even had my choice of choice of chocolate!!! Dark or milk? I chose dark, to get my antioxidant-no guilt fix....

We got the s'mores made, headed downstairs for the movie, and a few minutes into the movie, I took my first bite... Something was wrong! I took another, smaller bite, since I was the guest and maybe the second bite would be better??? But then our hostess took a bite, spat it out and reassured us that we didn't have to eat the s'mores, because she wasn't going to.

Post-movie, we discovered the culprit: smelly graham crackers that had gone rancid- didn't know they could do that! OK, so it wasn't the most tasty memory, but what a fun one! I will now associate s'mores and graham crackers with that night, and think of what awesome friends I have.... and smile and laugh!