Words of Wisdom for My Seniors

June 7, 2015

I've never been a big fan of telling kids about how things are going to be in the 'real world'. Everyone's experience IS their real world, including students in high school.  Of course, as my students are getting ready to graduate and embark on a new 'real world', I have a few words of wisdom to share:

--There is a lot of positivity in the world. There is also a lot of negativity.  Be one who sends out positivity. The world already has enough negativity-you don't need to add to it. Tip the scales in the right direction.

--You will see what you look for in the world.  Look for good, and you'll find it.

--At the same time, don't bury your head in the sand.  There IS negative in the world. Learn to recognize it and change it if you can or walk away if you can't.

--We all have our gifts, and everyone has something to contribute. If you haven't found your gifts yet, keep looking.  Let those gifts lead you to your passion in life.

--Surround yourself with the people who will become your tribe.  Your tribe is the people who are your family for life--the ones who are there to celebrate your successes and who pick you up and dust you off when you hit the lows in your life.  Family means family of the heart--your chosen family.  No one is a solitary success. We are all supported by our tribe. Know who they are for you, and acknowledge their role in in your life--often and wholeheartedly.

--I don't care if you think you are the smartest person in the room.  Heck, I don't even care if you ARE the smartest person in the room. EVERYONE has more to learn, and you'll be amazed by the people you can learn something from if you don't let your ego get in the way of hearing others. Once you think you've learned all you can learn, you've really stopped learning to live.

--Make good choices.  Think about consequences. Everyone has freedom of choice, but you aren't free from the consequences of your actions. Consider carefully the trajectory of your behaviors.  Naturally, however, sometimes we DON'T make good choices--we all make mistakes.  Own your mistakes. Apologize for your mistakes. Learn from your mistakes. Then move on. When others make mistakes, allow the same for them.

--Thinking about consequences doesn't mean play it safe. It may sound counterintuitive, but take chances. Step outside your comfort zone. Try new things. Travel. Learn new skills. Meet new people. Those are experiences that can broaden your horizons and open new doors. They can help you become more of the YOU you will become.

--Be nice to people--even mean people.  The way you respond to others says way more about you than the way others treat you.  Don't give someone else the power to control your attitude.  That being said, don't enable someone to treat you poorly. If you haven't been able to show them how to treat you with respect through your attitude, walk away holding your head high. You are only responsible for your own behaviors, not anyone else's. Does everyone deserve 'nice' all the time? Perhaps not. But YOU deserve to expect that of yourself.

--To be respectful and to respect someone are not the same thing. There's a very important difference. You are in charge of being respectful to others; they are in charge of being worthy of respect. You do not have to respect everyone, but you should always be respectful. Respectful behavior need not be 'earned', as it is a commentary on you, not them.

--Be generous.  Be generous of time, of money, of spirit.  There are people who have less than you.  We should help others when we can because we SHOULD.  Our mission in life is to lift up others when possible because it makes us ALL better for it.

--Give others the benefit of a doubt.  We cannot know everyone's backstory. If someone's backstory has led them to negativity and ill will, how can it possibly benefit anyone to counter it with more of the same?

--Laugh. Love. Be silly. Find people who will do those things with you. Look for people who love you for who you are, and encourage you to be your best self.

--Above all, be open to all the possibilities your new 'real world' will bring.  I wish you all the love, experience, and opportunity you can find out in that world.

--Mama Lutjens

Winter Shots

January 19, 2015

I took my new camera out to take some shots of local scenery just to play around with the settings and the editing software.  I can't wait to take the classes Doug got me for Christmas to really learn to dig into all the camera capabilities.

Awards Season Kick-Off

January 11, 2015

It's that time of year again--Awards Season!  This is the time of year Doug and I love, being pop culture junkies that we are.  Tonight the Golden Globes were on, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler (who did a fabulous job, as they have done in previous years).  You know what my biggest take-away on the night was?  There were an awful lot of movies up for awards this year that we definitely haven't seen, which means we've got some movies to watch before our upcoming Oscar Party!

Hume Lake

January 10, 2015

Danielle went up to church camp this weekend with her youth group, which includes two of her besties, Megan and Maddie.  They got to hear a speaker, study the Bible, hike, build a bobsled, and of course, play broom hockey (the highlight for Danielle).  I can't wait to hear all about it when she comes home!

Here are some pictures that one of the youth pastors posted:

Yellow is Not My Color

January 9, 2015

Finally finishing up another week of before and after school duty.  Something about that highlighter-yellow safety vest makes the task even less appealing.  Honestly, I don't mind standing out in the yard so much, because I like seeing the kids who stop by and say hello--it's just that it makes the whole day hectic.  You've got to run to class before the bell rings with no time to compose yourself before class, and then you've got to rush the kids out the door at the end of the day to get back out to the yard--no answering last minute questions or chit-chatting with the kids as they head out the door.  But the yellow vest?  Yeah, that makes it even worse.

Almost Winter Formal Time...

January 8, 2015

We took Nicholas to pick out his tux for the upcoming Winter Formal.  I think he and his girlfriend are going to look fabulous in green!

Oooommm

January 7, 2015

You know how some people are sheepish to try new things because they feel they'll stand out for not knowing the protocol?  For being unfamiliar with how things work?  Well, that's one of the main reasons I've never tried yoga--that and the fact that my sis and partner-in-crime lives too far away to make it practical for her to come join me for a yoga class.  (We don't mind being novices together--we have a lot of fun adventures that way.)  However, recently some of the gals from my book club decided it would be fun for us to take yoga together.  Some of them are yoga regulars, or at least were at some time in their lives, and some of us have never done it before.  But the 'we're all in it together' aspect really appeals to me, so I was all in.

I went to my first class tonight with the handful of women who were able to make it work, schedule-wise.  It was the 'Chill' yoga class, which was a lot of stretching and breathing--just what this formerly flexible body needed.  I understand that some of the other classes are a bit harder, so I'm glad I started with this one, but I don't think I'm averse to trying out those other ones either.  I have a pass for ten sessions/classes, and I'm already thinking I'll probably add more classes when I've used all of mine.  These friends of mine were just the impetus I needed to try out something new!

Nicholas and Treasa

January 6, 2015

Nicholas and his girlfriend Treasa celebrated their 8 month anniversary today, which is quite a feat in high school.  He took her out to dinner at Red Robin.  I think they are so sweet together--they really seem to 'get' each other, and they both know how to make the other smile and laugh. I'm looking forward to seeing them get all dressed up for the Winter Formal in a few weeks!

Getting the Lame Days Out of the Way Early in 2015, Apparently

January 5, 2015

I went back to work today, after a lovely Christmas and New Year's break.  The kids didn't have school, but I had an inservice to attend at the district office right up the road from my house.  I walked out of the house with my computer bag slung over my shoulder.  Somewhere in my brain I was thinking it was my purse--you know, the place where I keep my car keys and house keys--which I realized when I got to my locked car and couldn't get in.  And then couldn't get back into my house to get the keys, because I had locked the front door.  Grrr!

Doug also went back to work today.  He was already at his site about an hour away.  And wouldn't you know it, Nicholas and Danielle (who were both at their dad's house this morning) have both misplaced their house keys.  As I said, the district office is only a couple of blocks away, so I decided my best bet was to hoof it there and rely on one of my friends to get me to lunch and back home at the end of the day, where I figured I'd just wait it out til Doug got home.

I called my good friend Mo, who was also on her way to the inservice, and she was able to swing by and pick me up so I didn't have to walk all the way.  Later when I texted Doug to let him know how my day had started, he was able to go on a work errand that brought him back to Clovis and he was able to stop by the house and bring me my purse and keys.  He's awesome!

Even though it all worked out and it wasn't a huge inconvenience, it was a harbinger of the lameness that followed me through the rest of the day:  I knocked things over, I tripped, I dropped things--all day long.  I have no explanation for this.  I mean, I'm no paragon of grace, but I'm not generally this ridiculously klutzy.  I'm hoping I just sort of concentrated all that nonsense into one day so that the next several will be awesome.

Fun With Backdrops

January 4, 2015

Last November Doug and I went to our friend Rick's wedding.  One of Rick's good friends is a photographer, and she did not only his pictures, but offered fun sittings for the guests as well.  Last night we finally got to see the end result: