baby dances for jesus

This morning my only wish was for us to go to church as a family. It's been a while. No kidding.... a long, long, long while. I grew up nearly never missing a Sunday at church. It's something I have been really battling with as an adult since I moved away from home. I can honestly say I have NOT been more than I HAVE been. Now that I am a mom, the concept of going to church has changed. I am going back to my roots, and I realize that if I don't instill in my little man the importance of going, it will inevitably be my fault when he grows up and doesn't understand the importance of being spiritually grounded. I for one, have been blessed beyond what I can imagine, and it's because of my faith I get through a lot of days. Well, this morning, I was adamant we attended as a family. Due to circumstances mostly beyond my control, I haven't taken Jax, or myself, since June. Daddy hasn't been in tow since Easter, and I had had enough of my little family spiritually spiraling out of control. We got up. I harassed daddy until he got up.... we got dressed... we made it out the door.... 20 minutes after 9. Did I mention the service starts AT 9:00? We pull up and there are very very very few cars in the parking lot. Are we missing something? We frantically plow through the doors to be greeted with a smile and a reminder that it's 5th Sunday so there is 1 service at 10:00 and pot luck lunch after. Coming to a pot luck empty handed is one of the deepest sins in my book, and my Nanny would be ashamed. Jaxon was glad he could run frantic around the sanctuary and at one point got kidnapped by the preacher's wife to hear the praise band warm up. He LOVED it. He loved it so much he ran up the altar front and center about 10 times... I was scared he was going to run through the band and touch all their instruments and break things... knock over the candles, pull on the ornate drapings on the Lord's supper table... but he didn't what did he do instead? dance. and he danced. and he danced. and he danced. He went a little Pentecostal for just a moment. And it was awesome. I also got some intense warm fuzzies I haven't felt in a long time just watching him up on that stage. Today, my son was dancing for Jesus. When is the last time I did that? I need to more often... Oh, and even though I came to the potluck empty handed did I eat still?

 Oh yes I did.

Two superheroes, no sidekick.

This is how it all started.... I met a fellow super hero in the spring of 2006. In May, our ways parted and  then as by fate, I met her again in the lobby of Hays CISD, as I sat nervously in a chair, donned in my outlet Anne Taylor suit and roach killer heels awaiting an interview that I PRAYED landed me my first teaching job-- only to discover, not only was she the interviewee fetcher, but she was IN my interview, and coincidentally... also a reference on my resume. The 3 people in that room that day would not only later to serve as some of my best friends and co-workers alive, but this super hero and I would also save the world together.... one writer at a time. 

To say I "got the job" would be an understatement, as I did not merely just "get a job." I landed myself a best friend, a teacher/rockstar/mentor/badass/student-centered/know-everything-whether-she-admits-it-or-not awesome lady person. She introduced me to the love of writing-- rather she brought out the little ember and made it into a big bonfire that would make A&M's look silly. She also taught me everything I know on how to teach writing. We are going to write a book, so Barnes and Noble (Borders.... RIP.... moment of silence please.) beware. It's gonna be big. Go ahead and get Amazon Prime now so you can get it overnighted for $3.99. I am serious. Life circumstances led her to need to take a hiatus... and life circumstances **should** have led me to go elsewhere. SHOULD. HAVE. I stayed. It was hard. I cried.... A lot. I also became really strong. I learned I REALLY could do it alone. I really was that smart, yet I still felt a crazy void. She's still on a hiatus, and I finally made the jump. This time away from EVERYTHING I know and into a pack of wolves. Hungry ones... with scary fang teeth. Like Kujo on crack. But you know what? It is a FIRM truth that God puts people and opportunities in my life for a reason. I think it's to bless people. My prayer everyday is for Him to use me as a blessing for others, and to bless me by putting those people in my path. He's never failed me since I started that. Yet I will say, my Jesus has a sense of humor that is totally parallel to mine, and there are surprises that do happen to come my way. 

Today, I got to be a part of a workshop I have been DYING to get a hold of for quite some time. My co-superhero introduced me to this book that was WAY abused with sticky note flags...

We used the HECK out of that thing. Last year, my tres fab teaching partner was a big Gretchen fan. I became to understand her a little deeper. Last week, my department chair announced we had enough money to send 2 of us to "XYZ" workshop, on the contingency you come back and present a training on the subject. I look down.... September 26, 2012-- Gretchen Bernabei... STAAR distinguished speaker series... blah blah blah. "I CALL GRETCHEN!!!!!!!!", I yell at her being the ONLY other one in the room at the moment. I get told it depended on who else wanted to go.... yeah, yeah. I tuned her out. I. AM. SO. THERE. I told myself. I wrote it into my AWESOME planner (yeah, co-superhero uno y dos introduced me.) and I was set. The weekend rolled around, and I went dove hunting (another post to come about THAT.... no really, I had a great time. No sarcasm.... really.)  and then stayed home Monday with a 102 fever and possible strep... (yeah, need to call the doctor to confirm that test...) I return to school Tuesday, try to confirm a sub... and the secretary has NO clue. The department chair? Yeah. She dropped the ball... never told the peeps in charge.... she apologized. Many times. I. about. lost. it. No lie. This was once in a lifetime for me. I haven't gotten to go to a training in a looooooooooooooooong time. My previous district had to cut funding and that is a place they chose to snip. Professional development? Are you for real? "Ooooh! let's not give our teachers opportunities to better themselves for our students or anything..." Ok. That's another story too. Stupid ADHD.... I swear. 

Ball dropped, we are 3rd down and inches. How are we going to recover? Well. The secretary at said new school likes me enough to make things happen. My principal approves it... then it gets in a holding box. Because the assistant superintendent has to approve.... the.... training. Oh. dot. em. dot. gee. If you know public education, like I do.... I just went ahead and assumed the mental fetal position and cried inside-- because I knew it was too late. The deadline to register for 1 of 17 seats left was at 5..... it was 2:30. nearly 3:45 came around and I got the email with the P.O. Jesus.... you are one of a kind. Thanks for the help.... swish!

I register.... I wake up this morning.... and I get to the Region 13 service center. I look and see a table, front and center. That chair is MINE! I scream and go for it.... There are 3 other women at the table, two I think are cool, and one that is dressed too cute and I can tell just by looking at her she is probably going to rub me the wrong way at some point. I ask if the seat is taken, and one replies, "No! Go ahead!" So I do. I don't want to be too eager so I don't sit RIGHT in front... I save that for my invisible superhero friend, vicariously attending this with me. 

 Yep... that's her on the left. AND her podium.... 
I am captivated all day long. She talks to me. She has me share my writing we do out loud with her Britney Spears mike and she tells me it's good. (Cue nerd laugh.... and snort.) Then... we take a break. And what happens?.....

Oh................ she SITS by me! (sorry cute teacher lady from somewhere in Texas I snapped. I was covertly taking this with my cell phone on the table and wasn't trying to get caught being a crazy nerd stalker fan.... guess my cover's blown, eh?)

I get uber ticked because I left my scissors book at my desk where I intended to grab it for an autograph. CURSES!!!! I am tellin' ya. I learned a crazy lot today. The whole time, I was jotting in my planner exactly what I need to tell my superhero.

We are talking about frantic jotting. FRAN-TICK. There are light bulbs and sirens going off.... I realize WE need to be writing a book.... WE need to be presenting workshops for teachers.... because WE are that dang good. Then we break for lunch. I get anxiety. I have no peeps with me to eat with. A 7th grader's nightmare.... One of the table girls pipe up and invite me along to eat with them. SCORE! I then meet up with 2 other teachers (now there are 6 in our posse...) and get shanghaied into their school van and we are prowling around Austin looking for lunch. (no lie. This never usually happens because believe it or not, there are some times when I "act" like I am shy. It's really just a Brown Recluse reflex-- because I am SO not.) We get back... we have some time... and guess what?

I ask her to sign my planner. She starts flipping through... my.... planner. She doesn't even make fun of my APB statement on the inside cover. We have a discussion about the planner and she makes me swear to email her the website to get one she likes mine so much. 

So now, I am in nerd heaven and spend the rest of the afternoon writing. And writing.... and writing... and writing.... and I remember how much I miss teaching it. The day ends--- all the teachers leave in a hurry.... and I realize it's me and a few gathering our stuff. And it happens.....

I get a picture with her. It's like I totally met Justin Beiber (only not, because he's creepy)... back, back. I feel uber complete... I just wrote the longest blog EV-ER and I am way proud of myself... I am proud of how far I have come as a teacher... and I can't wait to share all of it with my colleagues. 

Prepare to be glitter bombed.

 (Yes... I totally proof read this. It reads like my unmedicated ADHD brain. You're welcome.)