Well, Hello!!

Hello there!! I know, I have been quite the slacker. Do forgive. In fall semester of year 3, I have been working like it's year 1!! I can't believe how much has changed with new administration. I am happy to say the change is the best thing to ever happen to that school, besides me going there to teach ;) jk. But seriously, in a school where we could pretty much do as we please, it's now full throtle all the time. I am not complaining one little bit.
Here are some of the changes I am most happy about.


     1. We had a Christmas party. A real one. Where kids brought in food and stuff and parents were invited.
     2. We have an assisant principal that thinks our discipline process is rediculous and wants to change it. And guess who's helping? Yours truly. I am SO excited.
     3. We have a PTA!!!! And we have PTA meetings where parents actually show up!
     4. There were 50 people at our work Christmas party.
     5. Our data meetings are purposeful and we plan lessons together!!
So as you can tell, I've been a busy 3rd grade teacher.

And even more exciting things are happening that aren't school related. One of my best friends is getting MARRIED!! Yes, you read it. The first one of the six. And I couldn't be happier to stand by her side. :)
Kate is home from South Africa. She is going to continue working for Crusade, but she'll be in the United States. Thank goodness! Another year without her would be too difficult to imagine.
My family has started some new traditions this year. We have the first annual Pumpkin carving at my house in October. My fabulous sister in law is quite the carver and she taught us how it's really done. We also had the 2nd annual McCormack/Perry birthday party in December at my house. I really love my family coming to me (even though I work like crazy and am extremely nervous the whole time).
As you can tell, Christmas break was much needed.

Please forgive me...

for not writing!! I am still alive. It's been a crazy, insane past couple of months. A lot has happened and I've been so busy and exhausted that my blog was the least of my worries.
For instance, I had to re-wire my house after a near melt down of all electrical stuff in my house. So I was without power at  my house for a week. And then I had no stove or microwave for an additional 5 days. And then no refrigerator for another 6 days. And still no tv. But, I am alive :)
I also am the proud school-parent of 21 VERY talkative children. They wear me out everyday. I haven't left work before 4:30 since school started. The latest was 6:45. Yes, I stayed at work til 6:45. I feel like I have been hit by an 18-wheeler most days when I leave.

Speaking of 18-wheelers, my brother got married last month!! :) I am happy to say that I have a wonderful sister-in-law that I can't imagine my brother living without. Here's a photo of my family...

Sorry for my being gone, but now I'm back...and I will never go without you again.

After spending ALL day at school I am proud to announce...I am not ready for school to start. All the moving, unloading, uncertainity, and construction is driving me insane. Today I worked on my library, which is finished when I make the labels for my tubs of books. I also moved a bookshelf all by myself from one end of our campus to the other. I moved all the stuff from one filing cabinet to the next. Now, if only I could get the 6th grade teachers to come the 6th grade stuff OUT of my room, I would be well on my way to being finished.
I need to put a bunch of junk in some cabinets that are being blocked by huge boxes of 6th grade stuff. I also need my kidney table in my room. When that stuff gets done, I can start doing the fun teacher stuff that has to be done. You know, the labeling, organizing, decorating, arranging...the stuff that makes teachers love their job!!
Hopefully next week, I'll be ready for school...because ready or not, August 11th we have meet the teacher. I am excited about the changes that are going to take place at school!! Be sure to stay tuned to hear first hand the 1st days of school excitement :)

teaser

Last night we were out and about in Atlanta, and all the sudden..."Sweet Home Alabama" comes blaring through the speakers. And chills ran through my body. In 2 very short months (41 days to be exact), I will be able to hear that song with literally a hundred thousand Alabama fans screaming roll tide. I can't wait!!

Summer Lovin'

I can NOT believe it's July 5th. Seriously?! Where did the month of June go? Why do I only have a month left before I return to the hectic life of a teacher?! AHHHH!!! I know what you are thinking. At least you have a summer break. And yes, at least I do. But you could have too...education was an available major for everyone :) ANYWAYS. I am loving some new things this summer. Drum roll please...
1. Kool Aid. And LOTS of it. I didn't drink Kool Aid as a kid, but for some reason, I can't get enough of it. My favorite so far is Berry Blue mixed with Pink Lemonade. Absolutely perfect.

2. Blog searching. I thought I was addicted to blogs before, but now I am super crazy about blog reading. I don't even know the people I am reading about half the time, but I love to see what's going on in other people's life, especially if they are close to my age or share a common interest (such as photography). Just before I wrote this post, I found 2 new blogs that I love.

3. Being absolutely lazy. I have never in my life been able to sit in one place (my house) for so long in a period of time. Last week, I think I ventured out of my house maybe 5 times. This weekend I was out and about more, but again today, I am sitting right here. It's 12:30. I still have on my pajamas and the only plan I have are taking pictures of some really cute kids at 5. I love this.

4. Experiencing summer in a new light. In all my summers, this is the only one I have nothing to do or look forward to. And I am perfectly okay with this. Last summer, as you might recall, I looked for housing and moved home for a bit. The summer before that, I was moving from wonderful Tuscaloosa, getting ready to start my job, apartment searching, and enjoying my friends. This summer, I have been on a few minor trips, but nothing grand and I have no intentions of doing so. I haven't been soaking up the sun, or driving around town like a crazy woman. It's nice.

5. Tutti Frutti. Grace and I went Saturday night to the yogurt place in Homewood and oh.my.gosh. It's so good, and much better than Yogurt Mountain. First of all, it's less crowded. Secondly, it's clean. And they don't have too much to choose from and the choices are organized the way I like to think. I will be returning, I promise.

Tired!!

Today was a tiring day...
I can announce now that I have my job back!! Thanks for the prayers and thoughts. I found out 2 weeks ago, but until I received the paperwork, I was a little skeptical. And while I do have my job back, there are many teachers at my school that didn't get hired back at our school...so pray for that they are able to find a job. Right now, it's so hard to find a teaching job.
Today was my first "work day" at school. I met my friend Jae at school at 10. We began working in her room packing up every single item because we are getting a new school!! There is going to be a lot of moving around before school starts. 3rd grade is moving to the old 6th grade...we are excited about the move! So, we packed up her stuff and took some books down to her new room. While in the building, we decided to check out my new room. And much to my surprise, the room was not cleaned out at all!! :( That's not good for me. We continued to pack up Jae's room, then went to lunch, and came back to work. After finishing her room, we ran up to my room to try to pack as much as possible without tape. See, the school will provide boxes, but unfortunately, no one had packing tape!! We found some in my desk drawer, used all we had, and came home.
So from 10 to 4:55, I was at school, running around. I came home, took a shower, cooked dinner, and now I am sitting in my chair watching Legally Blonde. I am exhausted!!

guntersville.

To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there. ~Barbara Bush

Hair

So I found this post on a blog and decided it would be fun to see my hair through the years...I am not sure it's changed much. I am a pretty boring hair person.

                                          Fall 2006

                                            Summer 2007                                        

                                          Summer 2008

                                          Spring 2009                 

                                      

                                                                        

                                          Spring 2010

Fall 2010 **I don't have a hair picture I like for 2011 yet...but it's the same. :)

                                                       

** I really suggest you looking at your pictures. It was so much fun looking at all the memories I made during the past years...

Hot-Lanta

If you know me, you know I LOVE Atlanta. Just the big city itself does enough to make me happy...but there's something new I love. 94.1. Yes, a radio station is on my list of things I love about Atlanta. They play 90's music all weekend, every weekend. How fabulous!! As I was riding around jamming out to the best of the 90's, I re-lived my childhood, the wonderful 90's.
Top 5 Things I Love About the 90's:
1. Watching the Braves
2. Wind Suits
3. Saved by the Bell
4. N'Sync
5. Spending summer days barefoot and carefree

My weekend in Atlanta was one the best weekends. I had some great laughs with Jake, great food with my boy, great lunch with the Weathington family, and a great dance and kareoke time with 94.1. :)
I think I gain about 10 lbs every time I go. We eat at the BEST restaurants.  This weekend, we tried out The Treehouse. This is a must go for anyone that travels to Atlanta and needs a place to eat brunch. It's the neatest atmosphere. I highly recommend the Mimosa...simply wonderful.

Summa time

I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it is to say those words...summer time!! I am looking forward to the job searching, sleeping, reading, researching, traveling, and resting I will be doing :) Be expecting more blog updates. I am starting the summer off right with a trip to see Mary in Mobile. When I get back, I will be job searching and taking photographs on Tuesday of the Jenkins' kids. And hopefully an interview.
I will let you know how wonderful the beach is next week!!

Busy

This time of year is the busiest for a teacher. You have so much going on, but you can see the light at the end of the tunnel...

Field Day was a huge success. Jae, you did an amazing job planning and working!! I didn't expect it to go as smoothly as it did. When you work at school like mine, you never know what is going to happen. We only had to call the paramedics one time, only a handful of students were sent to the office, and only one class was sent to their room. In our world, that was as close to perfect as we get.
Beta Club inductions were also a success. We had 20 something students get in this year and most of them showed up to the ceremony. I love seeing proud parents.
Awards Day...that's another story. You see, at our school, there's not a whole lot of planning that takes place usually. Many teachers just through together events. Awards Day was one of those events. The ceremony took place at night. One note that went home said to be there at 6:30. Another said 6:00. 1st mistake. Of course, it started at about 6:10. 3rd grade flew through their part (YAY!!), but 4th grade took a while. Some of the kids missed their awards, some parents talked non stop, some families left in the middle of the ceremony, music played throughout the entire thing. It was a nightmare.
As we are winding down, I haven't had many kids at school this last week. I have been packing up my room and gathering all needed stuff to leave for the summer...or forever. I was pink-slipped 2 weeks ago. I hope you are as shocked as I still am. You see, I love my school and my job. I love the people I work with and the craziness of the place. But all good things must come to an end (maybe). Let me tell you about it...

It was Thursday afternoon when my principal called me in his office. "Megan, I never thought I would have to tell you this." Those are not the most comforting words a bright eyed and eager 23 year old home owner wants to hear. Apparently, my principal had been called to the Board during the morning to pick up some stuff. Little did he know, it was 19 pink slips that he would have to pass out to 19 of his teachers. And this really sucked for him because on June 2nd, he will be retired. Leaving 19 of his teachers without jobs. One by one, we came in, took the news, and left. Some cried and were hysterical, I however was not. Surprisingly I have been calm throughout the whole process. Something good of this will come; I am sure of that. I can re-interview with my new principal soon and hopefully earn my job back. But until then, I am applying and praying that God continues to provide.

Saturday Morning

This Saturday morning is a welcomed one for sure. I woke up at 9:00 with Millie girl snuggled up against me. Life doesn't get much better than that!! There are several wonderful things going on in the near future.
1. Grace is on her way to South Africa to see Kate!! I am beyond jealous. I wish I was going back to for a 2nd trip to see Kate. Grace left last night, so pray that her journey is as safe as mine was. I also pray that their time together is spent doing things that are wonderful. I was able to help Kate at Howard, where she works. Grace gets into student ministry alot more than I do. I know she will be a valuable tool to Kate.
2. It's Mother's Day weekend...which means I am going home again! :) I hope there's some time for a boat ride. Last Sunday was also Jason's birthday so we are going to celebrate his birthday tonight...I can't wait for the cake!!
3. 3 weeks are left in school. In these 3 weeks I have a lot to do. I have to fill out all paperwork on my kiddos that the 4th grade teachers need. We have Eagle Day...I am so excited about this!! My school hasn't had a real field day in a while. This day is going to be lots and lots of fun. Calla has even agreed to come help. She has no idea what she is getting into!! I also have to pack up my belongings just in case my building gets torn down during the summer due to construction on our new school. Not to mention the day to day hustle of the school day.
4. Today starts my searching for a summer job. I want a part time job where I can make some extra money. Any ideas?! I'd like to work at a coffee shop, boutique, etc just a few days a week.
5. I am riding home with Jess today in her car, Swift...I hope that means the top will be down!! :)
Have a great weekend, everyone!!

Mr. President

Although many may not agree, and I certainly don't know too much about politics, I am thankful for our President.
On Friday morning, I woke up, turned on the news and was ready to see the disastered Tuscaloosa one more time. But instead, I learned that our President of the United States would be landing in Air Force One to assess the damage and talk with the Govenor and Mayor of Tuscaloosa. What a symbol of hope!! He wasn't just talking with the men, he was walking around parts of Tuscaloosa and meeting with people who had lost everything. Mr. President didn't just fly over and wave. He rolled his sleeves up and was a real person for an hour.
Last night I received a phone call to turn on the news. And I froze. Did I want to see what had happened?! I didn't know if I could handle much more grief. The President of the United States proudfully announced that Osama Bin Laden was dead!! What a relief and comfort. With his team and the Navy SEALS, our President has accomplished a major feat. What a symbol of hope!!
And while you may not like Mr. President, I do hope you find time to be thankful for the things he has done in the last week.

Seriously?!

As soon as the first part of the siren went off, I was out of the bed, the tv on, the hallway ready for safety. This morning the storms missed my part of town, but other parts of Birmingham were affected. And so was Guntersville. As I was getting ready for work, I was getting irritated that the surrounding counties were getting delayed and JefCoEd had not released any information. I made it to work on time (that's a huge accomplishment) only to discover NO POWER. Some of the teachers stood in the drop off lane to let parents know the following things:
1. We had no power.
2. We would not be taking attendance.
3. We would not be able to prepare lunch.
4. We would probably be getting out of school early.
And yet, some of the kids still got out of the car. 2 of my kids showed up. At 8:00 we got the word that school would be letting out at 10:30 and to call parents. By 9:00 both of my kids had been picked up. At 10:42, I pulled out of the parking lot as the last of the kids were getting in their cars.
I want to remember this day when I am a parent. Unless you absolutely, positively can't find somewhere to take your kid on days like today, DO NOT SEND THEM TO SCHOOL. :) Thanks.

Say a prayer as the storms continue to rip through the South that we will be as safe as possible, the emergency people will be kept safe, and the storm chasers stay inside.

I love weekends

It's true. I wish the weekends lasted longer. Last weekend, I went to Atlanta. We ate at The Pecan, visited Cascade (where the movie ATL was shot), and went to see the Braves.
This weekend, home sweet home was where I was. I would give anything to have a little (ok, a lot) more of this...

Favorites

The first thing that meets me at the door everyday!



The first flowers I planted!!




The first decoration I put up...thanks Ausley's :)

Free Fallin'

This is one of the funniest moments of my teaching career... So Tuesday I wore a pair of black flip flops to work. These would be my old faithful pair. They are a little worn on the bottom, which means they are slicky. As I am walking my kids down to the gym, I decided to cut through the grassy hill. I was just thinking in my head, "How funny would it be if I fell.." and boom, I fell. HA!!! My foot slipped on the grass as I was stepping to the concret and down I went. Thankfully I caught myself before I landed on my face. Typically, I would have been extremely embarassed, but because I just was thinking about falling, I busted out laughing...and so did the 5th and 6th graders who were watching. (I should tell you, I didn't know any of them and they were in in-school suspension.) One of the girls in my class, screamed out at them... "Don't laugh at my teacher!!" My heart melted. This girl gets on my nerves most of the time, laughs at everything I say when I am getting on to her, and bullies other kids. At that moment, I smiled. It made my day to hear those sweet words. All my sweet kids came running to help me up. :) On a side note, I am taking a mental health day. Not that the kids are getting to me, but the longness of the day is killing me. There's nothing left to teach, and it's hard to keep order. I can't wait for sleeping in!!

Feels Like Home

Nothing feels better than home. And home is Guntersville. From the time I hit the Marshall County line until I pass it on my way back, I feel at ease. There's nothing like knowing every road, the back ways to get to the places, familiar faces everywhere you go, and all the good eating places. This weekend made me realize how at home I feel in Birmingham. Friday night, Mikey, Amanda, and one of Mikey's friend came to bring some furniture. It was also a chance for Amanda to pick up her wedding dress!! :) I got us to Hoover in about 20 minutes, going on back roads. I am impressed with myself. But the exciting part came on Saturday... Mom came down to help me fix my flower bed. I wish I had some before pictures, but of course I didn't think about that until it was too late. We started the day by shopping for new bed stuff at HomeGoods. Then, we ate lunch at Salem's. Guntersville folks, think about Wanda's...it's Homewood's version. So GOOD!! Wal Mart was our next stop to pick up azaleas. I ended up getting lots of lilies too. While digging around in the flower bed, I found 3 huge pieces of wood, a butterfinger wrapper, coke bottle tops, a hanger, and a brillo pad. Interesting to say the least. I planned on taking pictures today, but the stormy weather delayed me. I'll put pictures up as soon as I can... All of this to say, I finally feel at home here. Yes, I've owned this house for 8 months but it wasn't until I reflected on my weekend and realized how at home I am in Birmingham. I can navigate these roads, find places to eat, run into familiar faces at Salem's, and enjoy taking care of my house. What a great feeling...

Thankful Friday

I know I said I was going to do 5 on Friday, and honestly, I forgot. But today, here are 5 things I am thankful for. 1. State testing is over. My kids tried really hard, so keep your fingers crossed that their work paid off. 2. I dreamed about Kate moving back to the US of A last night and woke up really confused...proves how much I miss her. In case you didn't know, I am thankful for her work. 3.MAGNUM bars. SO good. If you haven't tried them, go to Wal-Mart, look with the ice cream. Thanks Kate and Lauren for introducing me! 4. Mary spending time with me this week. 5. I am going home tomorrow. I am getting my taxes done tomorrow...hopefully a refund will let me buy a new camera!! :) Not to mention, more time with my family.

Workin Hard

Sometimes during my day, I think...what in the world am I doing here?! And other days I think...where else would I rather be?! Lately, it's been the second. Things have slowed down, the kids are better again, and the people I work with have become even more amazing! Last week was our last week of review before state testing began. We taught hard all week. Thursday morning, the high school had a parade to honor the girls for winning the 5A state basketball championship. Our grade level was invited to watch the parade, which included the band, the mayor, the players, and the coaches. Nothing too exciting, but fun. Friday we had a pep rally. This was more as a thanks for working so hard, do well on the test gathering. Saying it was fun is an understatement. The drum line from the high school came over, performed 5 songs, and the teachers and students danced to the Dougie. Go here to see the real deal presented to you from the Cali Swag District. Here's our version... well, 25 minutes later, I still can't get it to upload. It will come later. As for now, I am on my wear to cheer the Tide into a NIT championship!! Roll Tide!! (It feels SO good to wear red and white today)

Jay Z

I am talking about the rapper. I know you may not agree with me on this one, but I HAVE to talk about it.

I love rap. There, I said it. It's more than just beats, cuss words, and drugs. It's about rappers talking about life as they know it. Jay Z wrote a book called Decoded. In this book, he takes the lyrics to his songs and tells how they apply to his life. It's the best non fiction book I've ever read. He's not my favorite rapper, but I do life him...and yes, it's partly because he's married to Beyonce.

I saw this book advertised on Oprah a few months ago. I really enjoyed Oprah's interview with him. Unlike most of her visitors, she and Jay Z don't have much in common...nor do they agree on some major topics in the black community. I bought the book before I left for South Africa and finished it 12 hours into my trip. I absolutely could not put it down, and I am still talking about it.

Jay Z takes the things that happened in his life, tells you about it, and then takes the songs he wrote that go with his life and tells you about it. As you may, or may not, know Jay Z sold crack to provide for his family after his dad left. (Yes, I know...he could have worked at McDonald's. But he didn't) He describes why and how he got started as a dealer. He tells what he had to do in order to get where he is now. He describes his whole ride to become one of the greatest rappers of my time.

I think I can relate with this book because of the children I am surrounded by daily. I chose to work where I do. And I love it most days, but the reality of it all is that some of the work I do is useless. I believe in my children, I encourage them, but I know I can't change the entire course of their lives. It's a strong possibility that some of the boys I love the most may spend their lives selling drugs trying to make a way for themselves, or because it's the easy thing to do. It's a hard reality to face. Reading this book gave me a new sight to the world I work in. I want to understand as much as I can, and reading this book explains a new reasoning.

**Footnote: I do NOT agree with drug dealers, but I did enjoy this book. Jay Z, you represent hope.

Forever Young

I planned to blog everyday or every 2 days I was in South Africa, but as you can tell...I didn't.

This trip was on the best trips I have taken. It was so relaxing, refreshing, and comforting. Not words I typically use to describe a trip, but those are the perfect words for this trip. Instead of giving you all the blow by blow of everyday, I'll use these words to help me tell you the highlights.
Relaxing-- No one in South Africa is in a hurry...except Americans. :) While we were sitting in the garden at Howard University, where Kate works, the students were chilled out. I didn't see a single person without a smile, in a hurry, or on their phones. (I can't imagine that at UA) The president of SA came to campus on Tuesday. There were maybe 75 people who stopped what they were doing to go to see him get out of the car. And Kate and I were 2 of them. (Once again, I can't imagine President Obama coming to UA. The campus would be crazy!) Tuesday night, Kate cooked dinner for us and sat on the back porch and talked for hours with a constant breeze keeping us cool. Since there is no air conditioner in Kate's apartment, I welcomed this breeze.

Refreshing-- What a change of pace I had, if only for a few days. Everything about SA is different. The restaurants we went to were so different, but so wonderful. Monday night we went to Nourish, a place close to Kate and Lauren's apartment. The atmosphere of this place was so neat. There weren't any walls separating the outside and the inside of the restaurant in the front. (And that's a good thing since there wasn't any AC there) The walls were painted different colors, the tables were clothed with white tablecloths, a Gerber daisy on every table, and pitchers of ice water with fresh lemons. Even the grocery stores were refreshing to see...Woolworth's was SO organized, not too many options, but plenty of food. And everything is so fresh!! On Wednesday night, we ventured to the beach for dinner at Moyo's. **See footnote for story :) Once again, the atmosphere of this place was so neat. Moyo's had huge windows all along the back of the restaurant that were opened so you could smell, hear, and feel the beach. There was live entertainment at this place, too. 3 African dancers performed a few songs. I was amazed.

Comforting-- When you have been away from your best friend for 2 months, comforting is a word you HAVE to use to describe how wonderful it is to be with her :) Kate and I have this bond that is unbreakable. She's an amazing best friend. On Wednesday we went to Howard again. This was my favorite part of the whole trip. We spent the day talking to students about God. I didn't think I was cut out to do that kind of thing. I am a little kid person, and not big kids. We used pictures to get the students talking about themselves and their relationship with God. I was able to meet some students that are already involved in Campus Crusade and they were so nice and welcoming. Tuesday, after spending half the day on campus at Howard, we went to the AIDS Hospice center the girls work at in SA. I met 2 little boys...the reasons this falls into comforting. They have AIDS, and are here because their parents have died. History is about 3 and Spay is about 2. These boys have wonderful personalities. The comforting part is...Kate, Lauren, Alyssa, and Erica LOVE these boys. When we left the place, the boys were so upset we were leaving. That lets you know how much they like having the girls there to play, kiss, photograph, and love on them.

**Footnote about Moyo's: The journey to Moyo's deserves it's own blog, but I have other things I think deserve their own blogs and I don't want you to lose interest in my trip. So I'll make it short and sweet. Mom, Mikey, and Amanda--If you are reading this, stop. You don't want to know what happened. :) We got lost. Big time. And in a dangerous part of town. HA! Leave it to 5 American girls driving around to get to the worst part of town. Somehow we took a wrong turn. There was no turning around. And then we ended up by a port with LOTS of 18-wheelers and no street lights. We finally got out of there, and then once again took a wrong turn. This time we were in the absolute worst part of Durban. Of course, I don't have a clue as to what is going on...until I see Lauren put her purse on the floor and Kate sunk down in the seat. Kate doesn't even look at me, but says, "Megan, put your purse on the floor." My heart started beating quickly. Then the light turned red and we were stopped. Kate is praying the whole time, Alyssa is gripping the steering wheel, Lauren has the bottle of wine ready to smash on someone and I am freaking out. Then the light turns green, we drive off, and laugh. We made it to Moyo's an hour after our reservation...

Day1 and 2

The last 72 hours have been so wonderful. I can't even begin to describe the beauty of South Africa!! It's absolutely wonderful. Not to mention I am reunited with my best friend :) All is good in the world.

The flights to get here were ok. There was a lot, and I mean a lot, of turbulence on the flight from Atlanta to DC. We were delayed leaving DC an hour. So, after a very long flight to get to South Africa, I missed my last flight to actually get to Durban. I was so mad, but it's funny because I was scared of missing my flight. Thanks, God, for showing me how much I am not in control. I finally got a flight to Durban and had the greatest welcome. Kate, Lauren, and the other 2 girls were greeting me with a big smile, a sign, and food :)

We got to their apartment, showered, and crashed...for 2 hours. We left at 3 AM for a SAFARI!! We drove for 3 hours and got there as the sun was coming up. My first sunrise in Africa was over the African savanna. (I'll post pictures when I get back to the US) We spent 12 hours in the game park, touring and looking at animals. We saw lots of zebras, 3 lion cubs hunting buffalo, and a baby rhino nursing. After a long day of flying and driving, I was so ready to get home.

Once we got back to Kate and Lauren's apartment, we showered and crashed one more time. This morning, we slept until 11 30 :) We layed around a while and then got ready. Some of the students at the universities the girls are working at came over for a cook out. It was fun enjoying the African breeze.

So far, here are the top 3 things I love about South Africa:

1. The beauty of the landscape

2. The presence of my best friend

3. The constant reminder of God

Top 3 things I don't like...

1. No air conditioner!!

2. Driving on the wrong side of the car and road!!

3. The fact that I won't be here longer.

I'm bbbbaaacccckkkkkkkkkk....

Ha. Thankfully, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. After a refreshing few days without one of my kids, my class was back to normal.
This weekend my family ventured to Gatlinburg for a family vacation. My brother, Amanda, and Mom went up on Thursday. Prissy, Jason, Kaitlyn, and I followed on Friday. We ate way too much, shopped some, and laughed a lot. I love how much my family loves each other. It helped me to realize that work is not my life (thank goodness!!)

When I returned yesterday, I was walking down the hallway of my house and all the sudden I hear a squeaking noise. So, I turned everything off and I listened again. Calla heard it too. Of course I freaked out and immediately thought there was a bird, squirrel, or... a rat. AH!! I called a pest control company and they met me after school. And it was... a vent in my attic. No animals, no need to freak out.

My spring break starts in less than 72 hours. YAHOO!!! I can't wait to see Kate :)

Silence

My grandmother always said, "Sal, if you don't have anything nice to say...don't say anything at all." And for the last 2 weeks, I haven't had anything nice to say. So silence is what I am giving you. Not the silent treatment kind of silence. Don't get confused. I am just trying to keep in my disappointment and anger. So there.

PS. Sal is what my grandmother called...who knows why. But I loved it, and I still do :)

Lessons Learned

As a 2nd year teacher, and 1st year general ed teacher, I learning so many things. Today one thing smacked me right in the face.
I've been too nice. You read that right...I've been TOO nice.
Teachers are supposed to be nice, right?! Wrong. When you work in a low socioeconomic school, you must be stern, forceful, mighty, LOUD, never back down, brave, and mean. And nice occasionally.
I started the year being stern. I became nice too fast. I should have been stern much longer, but my kids were so good. I must have forgotten the end of last year. I learned last year that kids get restless, as do the teachers. And right now, 21 days away from testing, my kids are restless. They are loud, think everything is funny, want to play more than work, and could care less if they please me.
Trust me, I didn't try to let it be this way. I requested that they get out their books and turn to page 64. 2 minutes later, I had 4 kids who had done that. The rest of the class was talking. Did they care that I was mad? Did they care I was going to talk to their parents? Heck no.
Tomorrow I am walking in as a different teacher. They better buckle their seatbelts becuase they will be in for a ride!!

Ahh...

Well, it's been while since I've blogged. I'm not sure why. I've just been really busy doing not much. Here are some highlights:
Valentine's Day- I am not much on celebrating this silly holiday. But, I received the most beautiful roses I've ever seen from my sweet, sweet brother and his fiance.
Yes, you read that right. My brother is getting married and I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am. We are so excited for her to join our family.
But, back to Valentine's Day. One of my boys brought me a heart shaped sucker. When he handed it to me, he put his arm around my shoulder and said, "Ms. Cormack, happy valentine's day. I love you." :)
As we are getting ready for state testing, the pressure is on at school. It's 21 days away. And I can't wait to get it over with. In the mean time, I am spending everyday, all day teaching reading and math. I am not worried about the math portion of the test. My kids love, love, love math. But reading is a different story.
This wonderful springy weather is spoiling me. Thursday was Jessica's birthday and at 6:00 it was nice enough for me to have dinner outside! We went to workplay to celebrate with Ben Rector. If you haven't heard of him, you need to listen to his music. It was great. And I don't even like music like that typically.
At school on Thursday, my kids skyped with Kate. I got permission from the technology people at the board to use skype as virtual fieldtrips. They loved it and so did I!!

Jordans

This is a good one...

Yesterday we were sitting in the lunchroom. I am eating my lunch, talking to the kid across from me. I hear, "Ms. Cormack...hey, Ms. Cormack." I turn and it's the girl two seats down. So, I say yes... and wait for what's coming. Here's the conversation:

"When you were in the 3rd grade did you wear J's?" (Jordans are shoes that ALL black kids wear, incase you didn't know.)

"No maam, I didn't. You know how we talked about culture in Social Studies? Well, J's are a black cultural thing. White people don't typically wear J's." And I was proud of myself for tying education to this...

"Ms. Cormack, you aren't white!!!"

So, I pull my sleeve up and show her that indeed I am white. All the while, I am thinking what in the world?!

"Oh, but Ms. Cormack, I don't think of you as white. You don't have a color."

Now, on one hand this made my heart happy that she feels like this. I don't want them to see color and I don't want them to think I do either, but really... sister, I am white!!



Two days ago, counseling was canceled. I downloaded a clip of the Oceans Discovery movie for my kids to watch. They really do like the documentary stuff. :) I had 2 boys come to my table to finish a test and while they are sitting there, one of them picks up my keys.

"Hey, Ms. Cormack, is this a zebra."--Boy 1
"Yep. Kate, remember me telling you about her? She brought that back from South Africa this summer."

"Oh, because you like zebras so much?"--Boy 1

"Yep."

Boy 2 turns to Boy 1 and says, "But her favorite animal is a bat. Remember she read that book to us about bats and we watched that movie."

They continued talking about bats. I sat back and smiled. The fact that they know my favorite animals makes me happy. They DO care about me after all :)

Fabulous

Lists. I love em. Here's a list of fabulously wonderful things that have happened since Friday...

1.

How beautiful is this?! A gift from my besties :)

2. My mom came to school today to meet my kids. What a culture experience for her! Ha. She got a little turned around. I was on the phone with her and one of the sweetest boys said, "Ms. Cormack, tell her to just get to Center Point." HA! Like that was the issue :)

3. Natural Trails...I've never been much of a hiker, but my mom, grandfather, and I went for a small hike at the state park this weekend. Here are two of my favorite pictures...

4. I've decided to let my hair grow back out, but it was time for a hair-cut. I love hair-cuts and the girl that cuts it! :)

5. I purchased my ticket to South Africa. And I can't wait!! Kate and I are going to have a blast. I think it's funny that several people have said, "You have to come back. You can't stay." I love that people know my heart so well.

5 on Friday

1. It's been a while since I posted. Not much interesting has been happening lately. But then again, nothing ever really does, so I guess I am getting lazy :)
2. Yesterday was the 1st anniversary of my Daddy's death. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it was definitely hard. I went to school to help take my mind off things. And it did. My kids were a little rowdy and I was regretting being there. I picked up my grandfather from the airport yesterday afternoon. He has yet to see my house, so that was our first stop. Then, off to Tazikis for dinner. YUMMY! Next, my house in Guntersville...
3. Needless to say, I am in Guntersville :) Home, sweet, home. I took the day off to relax and remember. My grandfather, a complete Yankee (not the baseball team, the person) is riding in a Mack Transportation 18 wheeler as I type.
4. Yesterday confirmed my long going belief that I am surrounding by the best people in the world. The Ausley's sent me a sweet card, my girls sent me flowers, Barbara sent a card and a Cadbury Egg (my absolute favorite!), Calla had a sweet note for me when I woke up, and many text messages. Thank you!
5. It's time for a new phone...I am having a hard time deciding if I want to be a part of the smartphone craze, or stick to the basics. I don't want to be tied to my phone constantly, which is what will happen if I get a smartphone. But, after seeing what all I can do on a smart phone, a basic isn't as interesting. And money is also an issue. I can't see paying close to $100 a month for a phone bill. Maybe it's time to switch providers...

YES!!

I may be jinxing myself, but today was a wonderful day in my classroom. They were the sweet kids I had 1st semester. They could tell I was not in the mood to deal with talking this morning, so they were SO quiet. We took the reading test...which to my surprise, they were quiet when they finished their test. Then, we had math and it was fun! This week we are learning about geometric and numerical patterns. We had fun playing around with those. They walked quietly in line, sat in their assigned seats at lunch, and didn't ask me to get them a fork! The afternoon was cut short because I had a doctor's appointment, but they were perfect when I left them. I am so glad my kids are back!
I have a short week this week and next week will be cut short 2 days. Tuesday I have a workshop to go to and Friday I will be enjoying the day in Guntersville with my family as we remember my daddy. I love, love, love short weeks!

MLK

Today as I celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I think about the world I live in, and the world my parents were raised in. What a change and a difference. Of course, I am thankful for the change and the realization in equality. I know you may not agree, but we have a long way to go. So, I'll let you think about this...

"Life's most persistent an urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" Martin Luther King, Jr.

Come ON!

I mean, seriously. How are the roads still icy?! I never thought I would ever say I am ready to go back to school, but I am. I can only lay on the couch, have a movie marathon, eat crappy, and not get dressed for so long. I have cabin fever. I want to get out of here.
The month of January, I am trying to conserve my money. That means no eating out, only buying groceries when I have nothing left, and no riding around. So there goes everything I could do. So, why not go back to work?
And....the longer I am out now, the longer I have to work in June. The way it's going my summer break may last 1 week before I have to get back to work. (Note: I am being a little dramatic, and I know it.) I would rather enjoy the hot months than be stuck in my house, which brings me to this...
Dear Jefferson County,
Please do whatever is necessary to get the roads ice free. I want to go to work. I actually enjoy my job and would love to be there now instead of June. Thank you for your cooperation.
Your resident,
Megan

on my mind

Lately I've had a few things on my mind. I am going to share my thoughts and WOULD love to hear what you have to say. Please keep in mind, these are only thoughts. No actions have been taken and I am stilling listening to what God is telling me. Here it goes...

I have a huge heart. And a part of my heart has been aching lately. In the city I live in, there are people that are homeless or living off the government. What if some of those people wanted, actually wanted, to better their life? What if they were looking to build a relationship with someone who would care, help, listen, and provide? What if they didn't know they could get out of their circumstances? What if I was the person to help them...?
During Christmas break, I rode around Birmingham checking out the different areas. I took a look at my job (that I love a WHOLE lot), the people who live in the projects, homeless people, homeless shelters, and non-profit organizations. I want to figure out how I do something to help people. I don't want to give them a hand out, I want to reach my hand out to pull them up. I want to help people who want help. I want to work with women. I want to help women figure out how to get jobs, take care of their finances, and become better people and citizens of our country. I want to help with grow.
As I turn all the things in my head, my restlessness is growing. I pray that God reveals His plan in His time. I know what I am doing now is making a difference, but I think I can do more. I know I can do more if He helps. I know I can be effective. I am making plans to volunteer with different non-profits to see if that's where I can serve. And I am considering getting a masters in social work. I am leaving all doors open until God shows me where to go.
I'd like your thoughts and opinion. If you know of a place I can volunteer or a way I can help...if you want to help me or your heart aches too for lost (in so many ways) people, I'd LOVE to hear from you.
"If a man shuts his hears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13

Geez.

I don't know where my sweet little darlings went, but I want them back. NOW! The kids that came to school this week were not my kids. My kids are sweet and polite. They listen, don't talk back, and get along. They love watching nerdy movies and reading. Math is the best part of the day and getting to science was exciting. WHERE DID THEY GO?!
The kids I got on Tuesday are chatty, disrespectful, hate anything that involves learning (Hello, we are at school!!), would rather fight than get along, ask a million questions, want to go to the bathroom ALL the time, and can't sit in their seats.
I am exhausted from saying the same thing a million times. I want them to be my old kids next week. I don't want another week like this week. I hope they learned their lesson today when some kids were enjoying a pretty Friday afternoon outside and we were doing science.

On a side note... the weather this weekend is going to be crazy. I hope our power doesn't go out. And I would really hate it if Auburn fans didn't get to watch the Championship game...NOT! :)

see ya later

I know I talk about my best friends ALL the time, but they are seriously the best. Last night we went out to eat because Kate's leaving for South Africa on Monday and Mary will be moving to Nashville at the end of the month. As I was sitting listening to them talk, I just thought of all the good times we've had together. All the laughs, tears, arguments, realizations, talks, car rides, surprises and I wanted to cry. Nowhere else will I ever find 5 COMPLETELY different people that love me and I love as much as I do them. If you were to meet us seperately you would probably never guess how well we fit together. Here's why I love them.

Grace is so supportive and understanding. She'll pray for you like no other :) She'll want to spend lots of time with you to show you her love.

Kate will agree with you, help you through things, and then be there when you go back. She'll show you how much she loves you with presents and thoughtful reminders.

Mary will tell you like it is, laugh at you when you are being stupid, and remind you it's a game called life. She'll never change and always, always understand me.

Calla is the most faithful and loyal friend you will ever meet. She'll stick up for you and have your back no matter what.

Jessica is so freakin funny. She brings much laughter in my life and will lend a hand.

These girls make me who I am. I would be lost without them. In 2011, I can only imagine how much our friendships will grow. We are closer now than we ever have been. If I were proposing a toast to them, it would sound like this...here's to friendships that last a lifetime.

Truckin'

I have never understood how in the world my brother enjoyed driving a truck everyday, carrying thousands of pounds of scrap metal...until I rode with him during the break. I had so much fun. In the 3 years my brother has had Mack Transportation, I've never been inside one of his trucks. Here's a few things I loved:

1. The CB. He used to have one in his pick-up truck when he was 16. We talked on that thing ALL THE TIME. He wouldn't let me talk on it now, but it was fun to listen to everyone on there joking around and helping each other out. And I loved the lingo. 10-4.

2. The Business. I just figured most truckers don't really treat it like a serious job. But, Mikey does. His outfit consists of khakis, a button up shirt, and a Mack hat. He treats it just like I do teaching.

3. The sites. Oh.My.Goodness. I was completed intrigued by all the cars being smashed up. I watched an old Dodge van being torn apart. So cool.

4. Spending a day with my brother. It's not often that we spend a lot of time together doing things he loves. He listens to all my teaching stories, knows my kids, and acts like he enjoys it. It was fun seeing him so engrossed in his business.