The Sassy Flip Flop

passion2012

2012-01-08T21:17:00.004-05:00

On Sunday night at church, my friend Caroline and I were talking about going to Passion this week. Because I am normally back in school this week, I hadn't even thought about going, but Caroline told me that our friend Rachael wasn't using her ticket for the first two sessions, So the plan was for me to check her in and use Rachael's wristband. While I was in line to get the wristband, my BFF Adam called and told me that he got an extra ticket when he checked in.

Long story short, I got to go to Passion all week. It was INCREDIBLE. I had pretty good seats the whole time because I sat with people who cared. There were 45,000+ people in the Georgia Dome. All of them desiring to bring glory to God.

There were a ton of things I loved about the week. Most of all, I loved being immersed in Jesus. It's been a long time since I've been spent that kind of time immersed in God's word or focused on Him. It was SO needed.

Another favorite part was my family group. Because God orchestrated so much for me to be there, I kept trusting that He had ordained all of it, so I begrudgingly went to small group. I was anxious about being too old, too out of touch, too ugh. But. God planned that too. My group was great. I loved meeting with them and praying with them. I love that I genuinely want to pray for these people and keep in touch with them.

On the last night, each person was given a candle and instructed to wait outside until midnight to light them. Then, while we illuminated our candles, the statue in the middle of the plaza was illuminated as well. The statue and our candles were to be a symbolic gesture to stand up against human trafficking in our city, the country and the world. There are 27 MILLION people currently enslaved in the world- and Passion raised money all week to help stop it. The goal was to raise a million dollars- but in God's way, He blasted through that number. They raised THREE MILLION DOLLARS in 4 days. Mind blowing.

In our small group, we answered the question, "What is the one thing you want God to do in your life?"-- I had to think about it for a while, but my final answer is that I want to become to enthralled with the greatness of God that my sin looks foolish.

So, I'm praying that for myself. If you're interested, I'd be happy for you to pray that for me, too!

puppy fun

2011-12-29T17:10:00.004-05:00

Parker's haircut

Playing outside.

Playing with Millie!

My sister and her puppy, Punky.

Smith Family Christmas

2011-12-28T00:08:00.001-05:00

Our Christmas card this year:

I got a new camera from Santa, so I've been a picture taking fool. I don't really know what I'm doing. I've read a lot on Kevin and Amanda's blog, Improve Photography, and other various places on the internet. I have taken about 150 pictures, but here are a few! I'm still learning, so be nice!

Parker! He got a haircut the next day!

My Aunt Cam has this awesome handmade beaded fruit- love them.

My sister's boyfriend surprised her with autographed Alabama pictures. She was PUMPED.

weird coloring. but I kinda like it. Have no idea what I did to make this happen :)

me and Parker

I love taking pictures of flowers. These are in my parent's yard. In January. Good grief.

Mom's turn for an iPad Christmas!!!

My sister being SO EXCITED about the book I gave her. Love Peter Pan!

Dad's new coffee container!

Honestly? Kinda impressed with myself for this one. Only post-production was cropping.

My parents' neighbors' house. Love their lights. (I was playing with my tripod at this point.)

This pic kinda blows my mind bc it was pitch black dark outside. Once again, only post-production was a small crop

My sister in her new red jacket.

Tyler

2011-12-07T13:51:00.001-05:00

One of my pastors said something remarkable this past Sunday:

Many of walk us walk around living life as practical atheists: believing that our money, position, and influence are all the work of our own hands.

The sermon was focused on the story of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, who was humbled by God so that he could see that God had given him all of his money position, and influence. By the end of Daniel 4, Nebby, as his friends called him, had come to the realization that everything in his power was actually given to him by God. Everything that he owned was given to him by God. Everyone that he influenced was given to him by God.

In my head, I know that God has given me everything I have, but I don't often think of that in terms of influence. At the end of the sermon, Stuart asked the question, "How could I leverage my position to make a difference?". As always, I immediately think of my students. There have been so many students that have come and gone through my classroom that I have not impacted in any spectacular way. However, I know there are students that have been changed because they had me as a teacher. That is an incredible joy for me, but also an incredible pressure- because I know that I can make a difference in someone's life.

My number one person this year is named Tyler.

Tyler isn't on my team. I don't have him for homeroom. I don't teach him language arts. We met by accident. My best friend teaches him, and I happened to be in her classroom one day, so he started talking to me.

I have become his refuge. If he gets in trouble in a class, he gets sent to my room.
I have become his reward. If he has a great day, his prize is to come hang out with me.
I have become his encourager. I seek him out all day long to ask him how things are going in each of his classes. And he comes to tell me about his days- good and bad.

Hearing Stuart on Sunday made me realize that God has given me influence on Tyler. Not my age or the fact that I don't teach him. But God alone has given me that influence. It makes me realize that I have 5 more months to be Tyler's influence, but the impact of that influence could go long beyond that.

The realization has made me so much more aware of the way I speak to my students, especially Tyler. To speak truth to them. To make sure that they know that you love them- whether you can directly say it or not. To make sure that their behavior doesn't change the fact that I have chosen to love them. To give grace every single day. To discipline when out of my desire for them to be better people, not so I can have control.

God uses me to influence people. I just have to be sure to influence them in the way that brings glory to God.

Do you have a "Tyler"?

Iron Bowl!

2011-12-04T21:03:00.001-05:00

Through an INCREDIBLE turn of events, I got to to go to the Iron Bowl with some family friends! They're HUGE Auburn fans, but they were so kind to let me come along! We had wonderful seats, right near the Alabama student section and band. Of course, my friends hated it, but I was DYING of happiness!

At the halftime show, the two bands joined together to play in memory of those who died in the April tornado that cut through north Alabama. They played Amazing Grace- and it was precious.

SO MUCH FUN!!!!! 42-14!!

Is there anything cuter than my puppy in his #3 jersey!? Roll Tide!

JoePa & mandated reporters

2011-11-09T15:02:00.001-05:00

Unless you're just not paying attention, you've heard about the scandal with former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. He is charged with numerous counts of sexual assault of children. If you haven't had a chance to read the grand jury indictment, you should. BUT. Please heed this warning: it is graphic. It will make you sick to your stomach. I had to skim over some parts, but it explains everything that he is charged. And the extensive lengths that the university went to in order to cover-up the scandal.

One of countless bits of collateral damage is Penn State head coach, Joe Paterno. He was informed of one of the criminal acts in 2002. A graduate student walked in on Sandusky raping a young boy. The graduate student reported the incident to Coach Paterno, and JoePa reported it the next day to his superiors. While JoePa fulfilled his legal responsibilty to report the incident, people are absolutely furious with his lack of reporting. Joe Paterno was not directly involved in the cover-up of the crimes, but he didn't do as much as should have.

As a teacher, I am a mandated reporter. This means that I am required by law to report any instances of suspected child abuse or neglect. The proper chain of command for me is to inform the guidance counselors or principal of my school. After that, I am not involved anymore. I'm not even allowed to inquire about the investigation. If I feel that my principal and guidance counselor are not following up thoroughly enough, I am able to go directly to the police.

My assumption is that Coach Paterno is under the same requirements as I am. I'm sure that he thought his superiors were going to do their job, but when they didn't, he should have done more. In his resignation statement today, he said "with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more". I wish he had too. For his own heart and mind. But mostly so more children would have been saved from such pain. I think I have learned something from Paterno- that it's always my job to do more than what the law requires. That is a low hurdle that is set to give guidelines. Doing more is always best.

My friend Amy and I were talking about it, and she said something incredibly important- at the end of the day, it is STILL Jerry Sandusky that is the monster here. He is the one that hurt those boys. He is the one that used charity to disguise his evil. He is the one that manipulated his peers to believe the best of him when he was committing a heinous act against innocent children. I know that God promises that "in no way shall the guily go free" and when it comes to Sandusky, this gives me great peace.

Paterno did announce his resignation today. He'll finish the season, and then he'll be done. He is a good man who has made an incredible impact on the game of college football and numerous student athletes. His legacy is great. It is sad that it will be tainted with the scandal of Jerry Sandusky.

obsession with instagram

2011-11-03T22:10:00.001-04:00

I've had the Instagram app on my phone for a while, but I've just started using is more and more- this is some of my week!

With the Alabama/LSU game coming up this weekend, I've been dressed in "GameDay attire" all week. This is from Monday and Thursday.

My nephew and I made this "Hand print Christmas tree" for my sister-in-law's birthday. We had fun making it- and Jessica loved it!!

This is a picture of my sister, AnneTaylor, and her boyfriend, Taylor. I helped come up with his costume- he's MAYHEM! Love it. Also. My sister looks adorable as a pirate hooker :)

I tweeted this picture the other night because I'm rocking a shirt from my 10th grade year of highschool. When we played Harrison, we were playing at HHS so we wore white. These were our "white out" shirts for the crowd. It has holes in it and is paper-thin. But. I love this shirt. It's SO comfortable. I could NEVER wear it out in public, but I love it.

If you're not following me on twitter and instagram, then change your life and make it happen. User name is always camismith. Do work.

courage

2011-11-02T22:07:00.002-04:00

I know some of you read my friend Annie's blog. If you didn't happen to read this past month's series on courage, you are missing out. It was amazing. Loved every minute.

awkward twins

2011-10-20T12:30:00.001-04:00

some twins are awkward. some twins are weird.
lots of twins are normal.

this one is not:

Awkward twin: "I'm not straight"

Other student: "You're not straight?"

Awkward twin: "Yeah, I can't write straight"

Other student: "I don't think you know what that means"

Oh. 7th grade.

meet Parker!

2011-10-13T10:05:00.002-04:00

I went to visit my BFF-Rachel a few weekends ago in Fort Payne, Alabama-- and I bought a puppy!
His name is Parker JULIOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Smith.

This is him on the way home from Alabama- he was freaking out a little, so he kept moving around- and ended up behind my head. FOR. THE. ENTIRE. WAY. HOME.
This is my BFF Maranda holding Parker- he's still so little! He'll grow to be about 10-12 pounds, but right now, he's TINY.
This is Parker and one of his toys. He was worn out :)
This is my favorite picture- I have turned into one of those "dog moms"- this picture is my screen saver on my phone. Love it.

Giant

2011-09-19T17:12:00.005-04:00

You may not know this about me, but one of my all-time favorite movies is "Giant." Often times when I mention this to people, they have no idea what movie I'm talking about. For some reason, it's not carried the same kind of timelessness that "Gone With the Wind" or other epic movies of the same era have carried.

When I was a kid, my grandmother had the movie on VHS that she had recorded from TV at some point. It was split into two VHS tapes (that should take you guys back to a special place in your heart)- but I would watch it multiple times every time I went to Mississippi to visit my grandparents. It made me fall in love with the idea of creating a life with someone- even if that someone is nothing like you. Elizabeth Taylor plays Leslie Benedict who is a wealthy socialite from Virginia. Rock Hudson (who I am slightly in love with) plays Bick Benedict who meets Leslie while purchasing a horse from her father. They immediately fall in love, and they move to Bick's ranch in Texas. It's the story of their life. For better or worse. Mistakes and all. Love, loss, children, friends, fights. It's all there.

It's also a famous movie because it would be James Dean's last. He was killed in a car accident during the last days of filming. I love his character's story, too.Jett Rink came from nothing. Got lucky in oil and made it huge. But. He had nothing to show for his life by the end. A tragic story, but an epic one told my James Dean that makes me cry every time.
It's a special movie to me. I think because it always makes me think of those summers in Quitman. The other day my family was talking around the dinner table, and I said some movie was one of my favorites. My grammy spoke up in her barely audible, whisper of a voice and said, "I'm pretty sure your favorite movie is Giant." And, of course, she's right. It is.

oops

2011-09-14T15:43:00.002-04:00

You would think I would blog more in the summer when I'm not working, but, alas, I did not. I'm back in the swing of things in school- work up to my eyeballs. But happy doing my job. Today, I am praying for patience and wisdom in dealing with my students. I feel like I have had a VERY short fuse in dealing with them. This group is pretty smart, but they are VERY social. It can be detrimental to them- and my classroom- often.

I want to start blogging again soon. Hopefully this will be now. And for real.

simple math: last day of school

2011-05-27T11:19:00.003-04:00

PLUS
EQUALS
Oh, that's right. Sprained my ankle on the last day of school playing on the bungee run inflatable. AM. SO. COOL.

T-town

2011-05-19T13:50:00.003-04:00

I know that you have all heard about the tornado in Tuscaloosa and other parts of the southeast. My sister lives in Tuscaloosa, so this has felt incredibly close to home. Thankfully, my sister is ok, as well as her friends. Some of her friends had damage to their homes/stuff, but all of AnneTaylor's stuff is ok.

This week's Sports Illustrated cover is all about "What the Tornado Took" from Tuscaloosa. It focuses on the athlete's response to the tornado. It's heart wrenching. You can read the full article by clicking on the picture.
The NFL draft was the day after the tornado hit, and it was cool to see quite a few Alabama players get drafted! Even cooler was that those guys were still talking/tweeting about how they were going to help in Tuscaloosa.

You need to read the article. It's really well written, and it will certainly make you feel connected to the real story in T-town.

bathing suits and modesty

2011-05-17T09:44:00.003-04:00

Growing up, I thought the only reason to wear a one-piece bathing suit was to hide fat. I thought skinny people wore two-pieces and fat people wore one-pieces. Just the rules. However, when I was in highschool, my friend Natalie (who is thin) wore a one-piece all the time. I remember talking to her about it, and she said that wore one when she knew she would be around guys- because she thought that her body was none of their business. I remember being surprised about that because I had never given much thought to modesty in regards to bathing suits.

By their very nature, bathing suits are not modest. They are skin tight and resemble underwear. Everything is on display. But talking to Natalie made me realize that there are some decisions you can make about someone else's ability to know everything about your body.

I was reading Elizabeth Esther's blog this morning about her daughter's bathing suit choices, and it made me remember this revelation with Natalie in highschool. Her husband reminded her that it's not about the bikini- it's about the relationship. The relationship with her daughter for her to understand modesty and purity is what matters- not the bathing suit.

I go to a camp with my church every summer, and they have a rule that you have to wear one-piece bathing suits. And, I'll be honest, there is a incredible sense of innocence for that entire week on the beach. People who come to camp for the first time always complain about the rule, but after you've gone a couple of years, you kinda come to like it. However, I do think there is such a thing as TOO modest.

I have some friends that I babysit for- their daughters are 11 and 8. Naturally, when I babysit in the summer, we go to the pool. The first time we went, I was shocked to watch the little girls get their bathing suits on and put a pair of board shorts over their suits. I mean, they're little girls. There's a part of me that feels like making little girls wear shorts or those crazy swim-outfits is teaching a sense of shame of their bodies. I think there has to be a balance.

Obvs, I'm not a parent, so I don't have to make these decisions, but it does make me think.

twitter

2011-05-12T15:54:00.000-04:00

Just found DogHouseDiaries.com
Greatest timesuck of my week. I read through every. single. archive.
and totally loved every minute.
this was one of my favorites:

but then I thought, I should tell people how much I love twitter.

I LOVE TWITTER.

It's BY FAR my favorite social network. I have been on it for a while now- and I seriously love it. I feel lost without it after a few hours. :)

Are you on twitter? I should follow you!
You should follow me!
www.twitter.com/camismith

stories I only tell my friends

2011-05-10T14:09:00.002-04:00

My love for all things Rob Lowe is no secret here. Loved him in The Outsiders, Brothers and Sisters, West Wing, and even when he was the bad guy in Austin Powers and Tommy Boy. LOVE HIM. So, when he was on Oprah the other day, of course I watched. He was there promoting his book, Stories I Only Tell My Friends.

Please understand that I am NOT usually a celebrity-tell-all kind of reader.
BUT.
Rob Lowe's book just isn't like that. It's SHOCKINGLY well written, and it is much more of a reflection of his life than an expose of his past romances and debauchery. It's a very quick read, chronicling his life through the end of the West Wing. It briefly mentions Brothers and Sisters and the shows he works on now, but not in great detail. As a huge enthusiast of The Outsiders, I loved that there were about 3 chapters devoted to that time in his life.
He leaves nothing us-discussed.

I loved it- def rated-R, but mostly bc of profanity. Everything else is alluded to without being trashy. Well. Without being vulgar.
READ IT!

the lottery

2011-03-15T10:16:00.001-04:00

Just got this email.
Now I'm sure I'll win. Just because I'm not sure I want to.

miss bachelorette, miss bachelorette!

2011-03-02T10:19:00.007-05:00

This past weekend was the "Bacheloretter Getaway" for my BFF, Rachel. She's getting married in ONE MONTH! We rented a cabin in Dahlonega- and it was FABULOUS.
We went to dinner the first night at a place called the Crimson Cafe- it was crazy crowded and the food took forever, but we had a private room and a great server, so it was fun! In the grand tradition of any "fungirls" weekend, there were about a million pics!
On Saturday, we went to two different vineyards for winetastings: Frogtown and Three Sisters. They were both great- with beautiful views and delicious wine!

For dinner, we donned matching "Rachel's Last Fling Before the Ring" tshirts and went out for Mexican food. We were overwhelming to say the VERY least- but we had a BLAST!

In recovery mode, we went to lunch at The Smith House- which is a family style Southern restaurant: fried chicken, fried okra, black eyed peas, and so on. It was DELICIOUS. We ate in about 12 seconds, so I don't have any pictures of the food! But, we took this incredible picture in the gift shop right before we leave. So typical.
We had a blast! I hope we get to do it again next year! It was amazing to get away with such fun friends- and celebrate Rachel!

**None of these pics are mine... most of the group shots were done by Susan Crutchfield- she's amazing: check her out!

read across america

2011-03-01T10:51:00.001-05:00

This is Read Across America week- and we are celebrating here! My favorite day of the week is "wear a tshirt that you can read" day! So, I'm wearing one of my fav shirts:
Happy Birthday, Dr Seuss!

spinach

2011-02-17T10:18:00.003-05:00

I hate spinach.

well. I hate cooked spinach. unless it's mixed with cheese and fat and artichoke and turned into a dip.

or mixed in a salad.

los does it again

2011-02-11T10:49:00.003-05:00

I've told you before about my (web-based) friend Carlos Whitaker. He writes Ragamuffin Soul, leads worship, and rocks a v-neck. I have been encouraged, challenged, rocked by the things he says and does. My favorite thing about him is his incredible recognition of his own imperfection.

Today's post is called "God's Power, Prayer, and Paxil". I HIGHLY recommend you read it, but it made me recall my own mental health battles.

As a junior in college, I had a complete break down. I was depressed. I can word it a lot of ways and give a lot of reasons, but the bottom line is that I was clinically depressed.

My friends and family were incredibly supportive, and I've never been shy about telling people.
BUT.
I do feel like there is still a moment of shock when I tell people. Because I'm a happy person, right?! and happy people aren't depressed! right?!
For me, depression had nothing to do with happiness. It was about isolation, hopelessness, and heartbreak. I could turn on the "good times" when I needed to, but those moments of true introspection always revealed my own pain.

I've not had to be on the meds for a long time now, but it is still a constant battle and awareness. I have to keep a strong check on my own emotions bc I know I can easily be back in the same place. Not that the place is bad- it's just not my desire.

I loved that Carlos talked about the fact that the church needs to change the stigma associated with mental health issues. It's not about someone's faith or prayer life- or a question on the power of God. Most people are ok with me taking asthma meds- they don't encourage me to pray more to overcome my asthma. So why is it different with mental health?

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi

adoption

2011-02-10T14:54:00.004-05:00

Today I read two PRECIOUS adoption stories on No Greater Joy Mom- the stories of Haven and Harper are absolutely heart wrenching. I literally cried. At school. While reading these stories.

It's just made me want to adopt (even more).

no one loses the Super Bowl

2011-02-07T10:22:00.001-05:00

Love this story.

"As World Vision sees it, in God's economy no one loses the Super Bowl"

i totally feel this way

2011-02-06T10:17:00.001-05:00

cute little cousins

2011-02-05T21:07:00.003-05:00

My cute little cousin Gracie turned four this week- and her mom planned the cutest Barbie-themed birthday party for her. Mt favorite part are these personalized Barbie tshirts that my aunt had made for each of the girls at the party! She found them on etsy! SO CUTE!!My cute cousins Gracie and Lily in their tshirts! LOVE THEM!!!

curious

2011-02-04T22:14:00.000-05:00

How much do you believe in freedom of religion when it's not your own?

a month in review

2011-02-02T13:39:00.004-05:00

Saw this monthly review post at Sasha's Barely Keeping it All Together... thought I needed to do the same!

On My Nightstand: Water for Elephants, Going Home

TV Show Worth Watching: White Collar. Oh, Neil Caffrey, you are a sexy man.

Movie I've Seen (in or out of the theater): The King's Speech, Country Strong, Burlesque

In My Kitchen: Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies (DIE of amazingness) from Picky Palate

In My Ears: Little Feat's Join the Band album- not new, but loving it lately

Three Newest Blog Reads: Skinny Runner, From Birmingham to Belo, Senegal Daily

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month: wedding showers for Rachel, a week off from school, Walking Wisely

a problem I don't have

2011-01-28T12:25:00.002-05:00

I read at The Hairpin the other day about The New and Unworn Clothing That Haunts Your Closet-- let me just go on record as saying, I do NOT have this problem.
When I buy new clothes, I wear them right away. Not always the very next day, but usually within a week or two. Sometimes the SAME DAY. I NEVER have clothes in my closet that I've never worn. NEVER.

Am I the only one? Or are you like the girls at The Hairpin?

bitter truths

2011-01-24T09:14:00.002-05:00

I saw this on another blog (I can't remember which...), and it made me happy. Because I totally believe it. It's from Lemony Snicket's Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid.

I liked it for a lot of reasons, but mainly because I totally live by this. If I'm going somewhere with unknown or questionable plans, I always have a book. Sometimes I leave it in my car so as not to appear rude, but you can rest assured that I always have a book.

On my birthday this year, we went around the table at dinner and everyone had to say nice things about me (family tradition, don't question it, it's awesome)-- and one of the things my dad said that he liked about me was that I always have books around. Stacks here and there. One upstairs, downstairs, in my bag, in the car.

And it's true. I love books. I love having them. I love reading them. I love looking at them. I love talking about them. Love books.

And in the technological age, I find myself wary of the e-book, but with the new iPad, I decided to try it out. Read two books on my iPad this weekend. Read Sophie Kinsella's Twenties Girl and Beth Orsoff's Romantically Challenged. I enjoyed Twenties Girl as much as I've enjoyed Kinsella's other books- cute, decently written, happy ending, mindless. Romantically Challenged was ok- one of those I wouldn't read again, but don't feel short changed since it only cost $3.

Although e-readers will NEVER replace the comfort of an actual book, I liked it. I think I would love it to travel and such.

shocking news

2011-01-23T10:14:00.000-05:00

I went painting Saturday morning. My sister really wanted this one painting, so my mom and I went and painted them for her.
Mine is on the right, mom's on the left. My sister is muchos happy- she hasn't seen them in real life, just the pics. But, she's pumped. Like always, had a blast at Corkscrews and Canvas!

1 Year, 100 Books

2011-01-21T13:21:00.003-05:00

During my very first year at McClure, I taught a student named Allison. She was only in my class for a few weeks before she qualified to be moved into the advanced language arts class. I was devastated when she was moved from my class. In all my years of teaching, I have never been more impressed by any student's writing ability than I was with Allison. She was simply in a class by herself. Even in her advanced class, her writing ability was incredibly better than her classmates.

Well, Allison is in highschool now and has taken a bet from one of her teachers: to read 100 books in 1 year. She turned 16 last week, and if she is able to read (and review!) 100 books by her 17th birthday, then her teacher is going to give her $200! Naturally, Allison accepted this challenge- and not only that, she's writing all of her reviews on sparklife.com! She's only read three books in her challenge so far, but she's looking for comments and suggestions. I have no doubt that it'll be an entertaining year as Allison takes on the challenge!

The link to see her columns so far: http://community.sparknotes.com/tag/one-year-100-books
I couldn't figure out how to get them in an RSS feed- if anyone does, please let me know!!

who!?

2011-01-20T14:37:00.000-05:00

Click here.
It's not spam. This is really me. I promise. It's not a scary virus or porn. Just a happy clickage.

blame it on January

2011-01-20T10:40:00.003-05:00

My friend Micah wrote a song a few years ago, and I always liked the line "I blame my problems on January". Because, honestly, I feel like it has to be the worst month ever. (I'm 100% sure that now that I've said this, I'll get married and have all of my children in January.) I will now air my grievances with January.

I don't get paid from December 17th (ish) until the end. of. january. which, by the way, is a VERY LONG MONTH. It is truly the WORST thing about my job.
Football ends. Baseball hasn't started. Sports purgatory. I do not care about basketball. At all. I mean, hooray if Alabama wins, but I just don't care for the sport. And. Don't tell me I can watch the NFL or some other bogus sport that no real people like. I watch college football, Atlanta Braves baseball, and golf tournaments. None of those are happening today. Except on ESPN/CBS classic. Which I watch all of the time this time of year. And don't even me started on how much I hate SportsCenter/PTI/ATH this time of year- all they're trying to do is convince me that these "sports" that I don't like are actually valuable. Liars.
It's freaking freezing. And I am WAY over wearing a coat and not being able to move my arms properly. I feel like a tyrannosaurus rex. and I don't like it.
It's dark before I leave school. No, seriously. Middle school in Cobb gets out at 415, so I normally leave around 5. Which, in January, is dusk. GIVE ME SOME SUN LIGHT. I feel like I'm going to die of a vitamin D deficiency. Or at least, I think it's vitamin D. Right? I don't know. I could google it, but, well, I just don't want to.

I think I'm going to stop there. That's enough complaining for one day.

To combat the negativenancyness of that list, here are some things I love right now:
1. my iPad.
2. White Collar. To be more specific, Neil Caffrey.
3. My cowboy boots.
4. My lunch box.
5. painting

painting

2011-01-19T10:26:00.007-05:00

Have you gone to these drink-while-you-paint painting classes? They seem to be all the rage in metro Atlanta, and I went to Sips-and-Strokes about a year ago with my school. In the past few months, one of my mom's bffs has opened one these places in west Cobb called Corkscrews and Canvas.

So, I've gone quite a few times. I've been more times than a normal person should go, but it's been fun! Honestly, I like the painting a lot- if I had a need for all of these pieces of "art", I would go more often, but it's already out of control. I've been giving most of the pieces away to friends and family who mention they like the piece. I mean, if you like it, you can have it! Here are a few of the things I've done so far....
So, I've been planning a birthday party at Corkscrews and Canvas for my friend Angie, and we were trying to decide what piece to do, and I took a picture of this sample from the studio. (My friend, Jill Alford, did this!)
We're gonna go paint this next month (hopefully!), but I was curious with my own artistic ability, so I decided to attempt it myself!

Mine is obviously a little different, but I really like it! It's hanging outside of my classroom! Adorable!

the end of my twenties...

2010-11-14T21:50:00.003-05:00

today marks the end of my twenties. I can hardly believe that in less than 2 hours, I will be officially 30. I was talking to one of my precious friends the other day- and I was saying that it's not that I mind turning 30- it's more that I thought my life would look so different by 30. But I am grateful for my life and all of the things I've accomplished in the last thirty years. There are some things that are a part of my life that make me very happy and proud. some of those are:

1. being a teacher- like I've been dreaming of since I was in 4th grade.
2. traveling overseas- to Romania and Asia as a missionary- and living in China
3. maintaining meaningful friendships for a long time- people from high school and college- wouldn't trade them for anything
4. continuing to sing and perform- not always how I planned, but I've had the chance to sing with some of the most talented people I know
5. leading a small group for 7 years- continuing to pour into those girls now that they're in college

There are a lot of other things, but these are the things in the front of my mind tonight.

My life isn't what I planned: it's better.

2010-11-08T16:02:00.000-05:00

If it's not too much, it's not enough.

2010-10-26T14:25:00.000-04:00

A tree does not stop being a tree when it loses its leaves.
A girl does not stop being a girl when she takes her makeup off.
God does not cease being good when the circumstances in our life become dim.

Wisdom and blessing from Andy Merrick.

jsw

2010-10-24T18:59:00.004-04:00

Jonathan and I met about 10 years ago. I was still in college, and he was coming home from an internship with Focus on the Family. I had known his name for years because my entire church has been praying for him. When Jon was in middle school, he was diagnosed with nephritis lupus- which is lupus that attacks your kidneys. He went through dialysis and eventually had a kidney transplant when he was 18.

In the past few years, he's still had some health issues, but for the most part, it's been an uneventful decade of kidney health.

Until this fall.

The lupus has flared back up. It's attacking the healthy kidney. He's currently in the process of getting 3 rounds of chemo to stop the lupus- and get his kidneys back to normal function.

A few weeks ago, his white blood cell count was dangerously low- too low to give him chemo- so he had to hang out in the hospital for about 10 days, so I went to visit him one day. We had a great time just being able to visit and catch up- he lives in Texas, so we don't see each other very often anyway.
While we were talking, the reoccurring theme was "God's glory: no matter what". And to hear Jonathan say this over and over made me think about my own life. I tend to base my desire for God's glory on my circumstances, but over and over in the last few weeks, I have prayed that God be glorified in every situation- no matter what. No matter how I feel about it. No matter if I like the outcome. No matter if Jonathan's body is healed. No matter what.

I'm still in the plac where it's not always true- sometimes it's just my prayer. But, that is my aim.
God, your glory. No matter what.

winner winner chicken dinner

2010-09-27T14:37:00.003-04:00

Or, in my case, new towel wrap!

As per usual, I entered a blog contest a few weeks ago for a towel wrap from the Preppy Pink Crocodile. I've been a reader for a while, but I go through phases of being interactive. And I have NOT been interactive lately.

Anyway.

I WON!! I am so excited!Of course, I got my KCS monogram- and it's going to be some combo of pink and green (naturally).

I can't wait!! So excited!!

devotion

2010-09-26T21:38:00.003-04:00

Went to my cousin's wedding this weekend. Wedding started at 430. Alabama game kicked off at 330. (he's from NorthCarolina- he doesn't get it) MAJOR problem.

I love my cousin.
But.
I love Alabama.
So, my family and I watched it on iPhones. CBSsports.com has a GREAT app that you can watch the live feed from your phone. We killed two batteries, and drained about half of the 3rd.

now, THAT is devotion.

baby Catherine

2010-09-22T13:54:00.000-04:00

Katie and Donnie are friends of mine from highschool- and they ended up getting married after college. A few years ago they had a baby girl named Catherine.

While Katie was pregnant, Catherine was diagnosed with a severe defect called congenital diaphragmatic hernia. More or less, her diaphragm is formed incorrectly which pushed her organs too far up in her body. This caused major deformities in her organs- as shown below.

So, when Catherine was born, Katie and Donnie weren't sure about her life expectancy or survival. The first few months were incredibly precarious. When she was born, she went through multiple surgeries- and a lot of unknown.

During the course of her pregnancy, Katie started a blog: Letters to Catherine. It's amazing. It documents their fears and joys- Catherine's setbacks and victories.

Catherine is two.
She is a miracle.

You should go read Katie's blog. It'll bless you beyond words. I am grateful for my friendship with Katie and Donnie- but knowing the story of Catherine has changed my life. I met Catherine for the first time this summer at a mutual friend's wedding. She is just as precious in real life as she is in Katie's pictures and stories.

Go read Letters to Catherine. You will NOT be disappointed.

** I have more pics of Catherine (and Donnie and Katie) but blogger is being difficult...

such a baller

2010-09-21T13:51:00.001-04:00

This made me laugh out loud- I've watched it about 45 times.

"I saw this idiot coming right at me. I figured he'd be better off getting tripped than tased" -Matt Diaz

memorial day 2010

2010-06-03T16:56:00.002-04:00

My friends and I have been going to the beach over Memorial Day weekend since I was a freshman in college. It's not always been the same group of friends, but it's one of my favorite trips of the year.
This year was no exception.

In summary:

Lots of sun. (Even though the rain was always threatening to salt out game.)
Lots of seafood. (I feel sinful ordering landfood when close a beach.)
Lots of books. (Vanishing Acts, The Last Song, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy)
Free Dave Barnes. (At Seaside. Jealous.)
Free laughter. ("My booty is delicious.")
Lots of friends.

All in all, it was amazing.
I would go back right now if I could.

culty churches

2010-05-20T10:36:00.000-04:00

I've never been a part of a "cult-y" church. I use the term "cult-y" because I don't know enough about that type of thing to feel comfortable labeling something a straight-up cult. And. When I think of cults, I think of David Koresh or Heaven's Gates- and things I know about "cult-y" churches doesn't sound like those extreme examples. I have some friends and family that have been a part of churches like these, and it always make me think critically of church. (When I say church here, I don't mean "the body of believers" as a whole, but rather individual institutions.)

My parents were members of a church when I was really little- like an infant, I don't remember it. And it was a little cult-y. The preacher was having an affair, and everyone knew, but no one was brave enough to challenge him and his authority. When my parents decided to leave, the church acted as if they were going to be sent to Hell if they didn't go to church there. VERY weird.

My friend Scott went to a church here in Metro Atlanta, and it was DEF a little cult-y. The church forced Scott to have an accountability partner with an assigned man from the church. I mean, I'm all for accountability partners, but if it's supposed to be meaningful and USEFUL, then it has to be someone that YOU choose to share your struggles and victories with. NOT someone your church ASSIGNS to you. Much like my parents, when he tried to leave, the church acted as if he was destined for Hell.

I read Elizabeth Esther's blog, and she recently did a series of posts about a "cult-y" church. It was more about what it's like to leave a recover from being a part of that type of church. I have learned from her that being a part of a church like that can have long-term effects on your thought processes and beliefs. Usually the effects aren't things you are even aware of until they're challenged by your life's experiences- or someone looking at you and saying, "WHAT?".

There are always some groups and churches that make me wary. I don't know they're doctrine or anything, but I am always anxious when someone tells me that something MUST be a certain way. Short of commands from scripture, I don't know about directives from people that they claim can make or break your relationship with God.

Have you ever been a part of a cult-y group or church? What made it so? How did you leave? Do you still notice the ramifications of that group?

The Outsiders

2010-05-19T12:24:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned before, The Outsiders is one of my favorite books of all time. I read it with my students every year- and they always love it. Mainly because it's amazing. And party bc I'm an awesome teacher. :)

After we read the book, I always show them the movie.

And the kids always get a kick out of the fact that it includes Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, and Ralph Machio-the-guy-from-Karate-Kid. The guy that played the main character Ponyboy, C. Thomas Howell, has gone on to do other things, but he is-by far- the least famous of the cast.

But, my favorite thing is that all of my girls fall in love with Rob Lowe. He plays the roll of Soda Pop Curtis, and he is precious. Since Rob Lowe is older than my students, most of them have never seen him in movies and stuff.
But, after watching this movie- especially the scene where he's looking for his clothes- my girls all love him.

They're welcome.

Favorite Books

2010-05-14T22:37:00.006-04:00

Two weeks in a row of Show Us Your Life?? You've never been so lucky! But it's about favorite books! So you know that I'm ALL about it!

These aren't in any particular order, but these are my all time favorite books. I could read them over and over again. In fact, I HAVE read them over and over again.

pretend friends

2010-05-11T12:52:00.005-04:00

I like to pretend that I know Casey Darnell. I know people who know him. I hear him lead worship at Buckhead Church and Big Stuf. I follow him on Twitter. I listen to his music. This is obviously enough to allow myself to pretend that we're friends.

Right?

Well, I choose yes.
So, now I will tell you to go buy my friend Casey Darnell's new EP- out today on iTunes!
Honestly, after being led in worship by Casey for so long now, I honestly feel like I know him. He's an amazing man after God's heart- and you are NOT going to be sad you bought this!

How a bass player ranks drummers:

2010-05-10T10:36:00.000-04:00

My dad (who makes me laugh every day) wrote this months ago. It his hilarious. Especially if you've ever been a part of a band. My dad is a bass guitar player, and he's been playing professionally since he was 14. I'm just a singer, but it's still funny.

How a bass player ranks drummers:
1. Do they show up?
2. Do they have most of their gear?
3. Are they sober enough to put what gear they have together?
4. In time for the show?... See More
5. Without falling into the kit?
6. Can they count the song off?
7. In the proper time signature?
8. Does the pattern they play have any relation to the song?
9. Can they play a one-bar fill that actually lasts for four beats, not five?
10. Having played a five-beat fill, do they recognize their error?
11. Having recognized it, can they fix it?
12. Without having to stop?
13. During the break, do they hit on your girlfriend?
14. Does she respond?
15. Do they come back? (Note: this may not necessarily be a good thing.)
16. Finally, at the end of the gig, do they hang around to pack up gear?
17. If not, do they pack up their own gear before leaving?
18. If not, does your girl friend leave with them?
19. If so, do they ask if they can borrow your car?
20. If so, do they ask for $20 for gas?

Mother's Day

2010-05-08T01:52:00.000-04:00

Only lately have I been able to admit that I feel like this.

baby names

2010-05-07T13:04:00.003-04:00

My friend Kelly whoisnotreallymyfriendbutIreadherblogsoIfeellikewearefriends has a series called "Show Us Your Life" where she writes something, and invites you to write the same and then link back to her blog. It's pretty fun, but I usually just read and don't participate.

But today I am joining in because it's all about baby names. And I love baby names. I've been doodling them on notebooks, church bulletins, and napkins since I was in college. Go check out Kelly's, but these are mine...

Katharine Elizabeth (Katy Beth)

My first name is Katharine (yes, with an "a" in the middle- just like my mom and her namesake, Katine). And that's my cousin's name. And another cousin is Elizabeth. And my bff Maranda's middle name is Elizabeth. And I love double names. Like my sister, AnneTaylor. And I would spell Katy with a "-y" because that's how my best friend spells her name. I love that this little girl name has so much meaning behind it.

Austin Hope

When I was in the 7th grade, I knew a girl named Austin- and she was so cool. I def wanted to be like her. As I got older and actually thought about baby names, this immediately came to mind because it's my dad's middle name. I would love to use it for a baby name. THEN. Even cooler, my mom's middle name is Hope. My grandparents weren't being all sweet/spiritual- that's my grandmother's maiden name. I'm pretty sure she'd just go by "Austin", but the potential for another double name is def there.

Jake Smith

Honestly, I just love the name Jake. But I don't love Jacob/Jakob. So I would just name my baby boy Jake. And my last name is Smith, and I would love to use that as a middle name someday. Of course this will only work with certain last names, but I'm not there yet!

Cooper/Miller Ellis

Once again, I just love the name Cooper. Mainly because I love the nickname "Coop". There's nothing deep there. And I love the name Miller. I'm a little embarassed to even admit why I like the name, but here goes: I once read an article about Matthew McConaughey's brother naming his son "Miller Lyte". Well, that is the trashiest thing I've ever heard, but it made me LOVE the name Miller! And Ellis is my mom's maiden name, and I think it's a perfect middle name!

Well, that's it from me.
Keep in mind that I have no boyfriend, spouse, or children- so this may be a touch premature, but it's all good!

confession

2010-03-26T12:18:00.000-04:00

I've always known that the Bible calls us to confess our sins, but if I'm being honest, I have rarely done this. Well, that's not true, I do confess. But, I'm more likely to confess things like "I'm not reading the Bible enough".... or "I am too selfish"... or "I've fooled around with guys more than I should have".

And nothing is wrong with these confessions.

Only that I'm not confessing anything. I'm being vague or choosing to only confess the things that aren't that bad.

But lately, that's been changing for me.

A few weeks ago at Sublime, I started talking to a group of girls- and before I even realized it, I confessed one of my darkest sins. I mean, it's a biggie. And before that moment, no one knew. I mean, no one (who would hold me accountable spiritually) knew. I had managed to only let people know who wouldn't consider the spiritual ramifications of my choices. I had never told anyone that would want to know how God felt about it.

The sin that I confessed had been worked out with God. He and I had already dealt with it, but I had never invited anyone else into that process.

The coolest thing about that moment with those senior girls is that God totally used my sin to teach them something big. My honesty in that moment helped them understand the spiritual ramifications of sin like mine. He used my confession to bring glory to Himself. Only God can take the bad and work it together for his good- and ultimately, my good.

What I learned in that moment is that confessing my sin doesn't result in condemnation (assuming you're confessing to Godly people). In fact, it was the opposite. The girls were able to hear my mistakes and be so relieved to know that I'm a "real" sinner too. I recently heard someone explain the difference between conviction (from the holy spirit) and condemnation (from people). Condemnation says that YOU are something bad. Conviction says you DID something bad. A small difference but a huge difference.

Confessing my sin doesn't mean that I can no longer be influential. In fact, more of the opposite. He used my confession to make a bigger impact on those girls than I ever could have if I had just been quoting scripture or passing on information. My friend Denise is a Christian author and speaker- and a few years ago, her marriage tragically ended in divorce. She decided to take a year off from writing and speaking to kinda collect her thoughts, but then came back a year later to speak at a church. Then God called her to speak about marriage. Of course, she was SO annoyed that God would do such a thing- she had just gotten divorced! And, in His small and mighty way, he asked her if she still believed in marriage. And of course, she did! And God told her, your mistakes do not have baring on my truths. My truth is STILL truth no matter how many times you mess it up. When Denise shared this with me, I thought I understood. But, now that I have lived- and confessed- I understand it to a level that I never thought possible. God's truth is STILL truth- no matter how badly I have blown it.

Once I confessed the one time, it made me know that I could do it again. The next night I sat down with one of my best friends- and confessed a slew of sins that needed confessing. And once again, there was no condemnation and I didn't lose my ability to be influential.

I'm not saying that I'm gonna start telling everyone all of my mistakes, but for the first time REALLY in my life, I truly understand the healing that James is talking about when he says, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." (James 5:16).

God is a healer in so many ways, but right now, for me, he's healing me through my own obedience to confess.

music

2010-03-22T16:52:00.003-04:00

These are my favorite things right now:

8 foods

2010-03-16T11:06:00.001-04:00

According to Eat This Not That, these are the 8 foods you should every day....

spinach
yogurt
tomatoes
carrots
blueberries
black beans
walnuts
oats

Only one small problem, I don't like 1, 7, or 8 (unless it's in cookies or instant-sugar-filled oatmeal).

But an interesting thought nonetheless.

2010-03-10T12:39:00.000-05:00

this is one of my kid's legit school picture. he is hilarious. if this doesn't make you laugh, you could never survive in middle school.

overwhelmed

2010-03-09T11:51:00.002-05:00

In the last 24 hours, I:
1. found out that my car (which I wrecked Friday) is totaled.
2. lost my Granddaddy Billy. (Not my real grandfather, but very close.)
3. have been subpoena-ed to testify from when I got robbed last summer.

I am overwhelmed.

annoyed

2010-03-04T12:36:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, my facebook status said something along the lines of, "When people say the education system is broken, it hurts my feelings."

See, I'm an educator. And it hurts my feelings.

I am under no false illusions about the education system. I do not think it's perfect. In fact, I think there are many flaws, and there is no "quick fix" from any one source to fix those flaws. I'm not trying to say that we don't need to improve education, but attacks on the system as a whole feels personal to me.

And you can tell that it's not, but it feels like it is.

I know this guy. I won't call him a friend because he's not. We are not friends. We know each other.

In all the years I've known him, he's never had one decent conversation with me. He only speaks to me to make snarky comments about Alabama football.

But, he decided to further our relationship and add "attacking my profession" to his list of conversation topics.

He felt the need to comment on my fb status- to let me know that it is actually broken, but that's it not a personal attack on me. I say my peace, but I try to let it go. But it made me mad. I mean, I JUST SAID that it hurts my feelings! What do you not understand????

Fastforwardafewweeks.

He messages me on fb chat. (Once again- we DO NOT talk. EVER.) Just so he can bring it up again. UGH.

It made me so mad that I just closed my whole computer.

Deep breaths. Cleansing breaths. Trying to get over it.

THEN.
I'm at church last night. And he has the AUDACITY to come up to me- SEEK ME OUT- to bring it up AGAIN. In the meanest way possible, I told him that I would not have that conversation with him. Not now, not ever.

In thinking about it today, I've realized that it bothers me on multiple levels:

If this convo had been with one of my friends,then I wouldn't be as mad. But the fact that he doesn't have anything positive to say to me EVER is frustrating. Other people at my church single me out to encourage me on a regular basis, and he doesn't even speak to me outside of snarky remarks about Alabama football and to criticize my profession. just more than I can handle.
The fact that the VERY FIRST time he said something, it was on a status that explain that this topic HURTS MY FEELINGS. So it's not like he didn't know that it was going to hurt my feelings. He knew. But being right was more important to him than my feelings.

And that's the biggest part.
It was more important to be right than to consider how I felt about it.
And THAT is why I'm annoyed.

Faking It

2010-02-22T08:58:00.002-05:00

Did you read Post Secret yesterday? If so, you saw this picture:

Obviously, I immediately googled it. You can read it yourself here: http://makebelievemormon.blogspot.com/

I had a bunch of Mormon friends in high school, and I knew a few people convert to Mormonism so they could get married. This is not something I'd ever even consider, so it was always fascinating to me that people would actually change their entire belief system for marriage. I guess my personal beliefs are too strong for this to be an option.

But, it made me think- How many people who change religions for a spouse are actually only just "faking it"?

2010-02-19T13:44:00.005-05:00

Are you looking for me?
when I'm not there
when I've been m-i-a
when there's an empty stare

Are you looking for me?
when we sit and talk
when pass real quick
when no one slows their walk

Are you looking for me?
when the world spins fast
when you're just too busy
when much time has passed

Are you looking for me?
when you approach the throne
when you love out loud
when I feel alone

Are you looking for me?
because all I really want
is someone to look for me

Life Changing Announcement

2010-02-17T18:36:00.003-05:00

Announcement:
This is the greatest lipstick I have ever used in my whole life.

It's Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lipcolor.
It claims to last for 18 hours, and I will call a penalty flag on that.
HOW-thefreak-EVER. It lasts about 12 hours. Which is RIDIC.
You need to try some. It's everywhere. I have 2 colors. Love love love.

coping

2010-02-16T20:21:00.002-05:00

Today was my friend Shannon's first day back at work after being out for the past few months. You may remember me writing about him before- last spring, he and his wife lost their baby shortly before their due date.

We raised money as staff so that he could stay out for the remainder of the school year, but he came back at the start of this year.

However, the past few months, he's been out of work. Mainly dealing with some major emotional/depression issues.

And it's gotten me thinking. About my own coping. About how people cope in general.

From when I was a sophomore in high school to my junior year in college, I buried 7 friends. Not like grown up, old people. But friends. People my age. All car accidents. But. It was with the last one in 2001- my friend Jennifer was killed in a head-on collision on her way back to Clemson- and I kinda lost it. I was suddenly unable to cope with my own loss and grief. I ended up leaving my school- and moving back home, started seeing a therapist, and taking anti-depression meds. It was a dark time in my life, but God was good.

But.

Isn't it weird how some people go through one thing and reach that breaking point? And some people go through a series of bad things- and THEN reach that point? And some people seem to never have that point- they're always able to be tough.

Why is that?
What causes it all?
I don't get it.

well if this doesn't make you laugh....

2010-02-15T22:51:00.001-05:00

Need More to Read??

2010-01-29T09:52:00.000-05:00

Autocomplete Me

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you only had 22 words, could you still express yourself??
22 Words

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He talks in his sleep. His wife blogs what he says. Hilarity ensues.
Sleep Talkin Man

Princess Diana

2010-01-28T09:49:00.000-05:00

When I went to Philadelphia in November for the NCTE conference, I stayed a few extra days to sight-see and be touristy in Philly. I had a great time seeing everything- loved all of the "Founding Fathers" and Constitution stuff. I'm a history nerd- times a million.

Almost by accident, I went to the Princess Diana Exhibit. It was in the same building as the Constitution exhibit, and tickets were cheaper if you bought for both exhibits.A short background of me: I love Princess Diana. I remember where I was when she died. (I'm too young to remember her wedding.) I've read her biographies. I bought the magazines about her.

So, when I had the chance to see this exhibit, I was way excited, even though I wasn't sure what it was going to contain.

It was better than I could have ever imagined.
It was pictures, letters, videos, mementos, scrapbooks, and so much more. There was a whole room devoted to her fashion- and had numerous dresses she wore on display. There was a room devoted to her childhood, her courtship with Prince Charles, her wedding, divorce, philanthropy, and- of course- her death.

Here's my embarrassing confession.

I cried.

Kinda teared up early on, but by the time I got to the room about her death/funeral, I was bawling. Tears running down my cheeks and sinus situation creeping to a very unattractive level.

It was bad- to the point that a woman stopped me to ask if I was ok.

Embarrassing.

When I got home, I told my mom about my trip- and told her that we'd have to go if it ever came to Atlanta.

Well, glory in the day- it's here. At the Atlanta Civic Center. Now until June.
SO EXCITED.

You have to go. I'm sorry. You get no choice. It's amazing.
If you're not in Atlanta, I highly recommend you figure out when it's coming to a town near you.

Try to not cry.
Or take some tissues.

@loswhit

2010-01-27T10:50:00.000-05:00

For the past few years, I have gotten to know Carlos Whittaker.

Only that he doesn't know me from Adam's cat (whoever that is...)- because I know him from his blog and from twitter.

It's weird how much I feel like I know him- from reading his heart, being challenged by his thoughts, and laughing at his witty observations. He used to be on staff at Buckhead Church, but has recently left because God was ready for him to do something new.

Yesterday, he released his EP on iTunes.
If you haven't bought it, you're way behind- it's already #1 on the Christian chart and in the top 50 for all of iTunes.

um. check it out. now.
only $2 for 3 songs-and ONE SONG IS FREE!
the rest will be released in the spring.

these things makes me smile.

2010-01-20T22:52:00.003-05:00

Brody Austin Smith

www.passiveaggressivenotes.com

www.rollbamaroll.com

the sexiest thing EVER.

2010-01-05T03:02:00.001-05:00

global warming? pfffff

2010-01-05T02:37:00.003-05:00

From my car this morning.
Al Gore has a lot of explaining to do.

a fresh perspective

2010-01-04T21:32:00.002-05:00

Headed back to school tomorrow. Worked today, but we didn't have students today.

I was venting about going back tomorrow because I didn't feel super motivated to go back. I am excited about the year, but I would love a few more days to get back into the swing of things.

I said as much on twitter the other day, and my friend Annie replied to me (out of love) and reminded me that I teach kids that were miserable for the entire two weeks they were home.

I always forget this because my life was/is nothing like that. I always loved breaks with my family, but so many kids hate the vacation because it's just full of reminders that their life isn't what they had hoped. It's just a reminder of divorced parents, hateful siblings, and neglecting family.

So, tomorrow I'm going back. With a new perspective. That I get to be love and excitement and caring and commitment to my students. I am looking forward to it!

268

2010-01-03T15:38:00.002-05:00

The 2010 Passion Conference is in Atlanta this weekend. Hearing about it and knowing a lot of people that are attending has made me feel incredibly old.

When I was in college, I was an active part of the "Passion Movement", 722, 268 Generation,One Day, and anything else that I could get into that had to do with Jesus.

I went to 4 stops on the Passion tour- Atlanta, Athens, Rome, and Augusta.
I was in Shelby Farms for One Day.
We drove 2 hours on a regular basis on Tuesday nights to go to 722 in Alpharetta.
I owned every CD put out by Passion.

It was an amazing time of my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I know a lot of people from my church who still fall in the 18-25 age bracket who are at the conference this weekend. Reading their tweets, status updates, and blog posts has been so comforting and made me reminisce a lot.

There was so much for me and my age bracket then. But this has also highlighted a fact in my life.

Unless you are married, there is very little "for you" when your 29.

Never knew it. Never cared.
And it's not like I'm mad or anything, it's just that I'm just now noticing it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws,
we wait for you;
your name and renown
are the desire of our hearts.

update. in bullets.

2009-12-29T19:19:00.003-05:00

1. So, my lungs are much better. I haven't had any more issues since the weekend before Christmas. I am happy. Not sure what was going on then, but I'm glad it's no longer going on.

2. As I already knew, I was VERY well-behaved this year. Santa confirmed this with his generosity on Christmas morning. Pictures to come asap.

3. Am trying to make resolutions. Not sure just yet. Will keep posted.

4. Started drinking more water. Began yesterday. Victory thus far. (Keep in mind that I just said more- which won't be hard because I was drinking close to none. Ooops.)

5. Playing "Words With Friend" on my iPhone. this is possibly the best decision I've ever made. You can play me! My username is CamiSmith.

6. I want a UNC Tarheel's shirt. I'm an Alabama fan, but since I lived in North Carolina for a few years, I love Carolina too. My love for the Heels is NOTHING like my love for Alabama, but I feel like I need a shirt. Also, I tend to look smashing in that shade of blue.

7. I hate New Years. Least favorite holiday. After Columbus Day, and Stab Yourself With Your Fork Day. Ugh. But, I have plans.

8. Cleaned out my closet. 3 bags for Goodwill. Officially have too much crap.

9. Excited to go back to school. SO much to do to get ready!

10. Love my family. Lots. Maybe more than last week.

the past few days of my life. in pictures.

2009-12-23T13:11:00.002-05:00

Sunday night. ER. asthma attack.
regular breathing treatment didn't work. continuous nebulizer.
that wasn't working fast enough. IV drugs.
oxygen level at arrival to ER: 82%.
by the time I left: 98%
5 days of steroids. make me hot. and hungry.

In the words of my dad, "It's not Christmas unless Cami's going to the Emergency Room"

mom's bday

2009-12-14T20:17:00.004-05:00

My mom's bday was actually a week ago, but we didn't get to celebrate as an entire family until Saturday night.

We took our Christmas card picture (better late than never, right?)- and it's SO great. We all have on "Gameday" gear. Roll Tide and Merry Christmas. :)
Then we went to dinner at Vincent's.

One problem.

Dinner at 7.

Heisman at 8.

Hmmmmmm. Dilemma.

My brother proposed that we all leave our phones at home so that when we came back, we could all watch the Heisman show together. So we did.

Of course, we didn't take into consideration the fact that the TVs in the bar would be on ESPN.

But, never fear.

My brother, sister, and I all sat with our backs to the televisions. My mom and dad had to sit at the end where they couldn't see the screens. My s-i-l and nephew were the only ones who could see the screen- and neither one of them care.

So, we made it through dinner without seeing anything.
Came home and watch it whole show as a family.

Then cried again.

I am SO excited for Mark Ingram! And for running backs. And for Alabama!
I love my family for making the Heisman trophy presentation part of my mom's bday party. And for making Alabama a part of our Christmas card. Love it.

RTR

while we're discussing Christmas presents....

2009-12-10T13:51:00.006-05:00

wanna win free stuff?

2009-12-09T09:30:00.002-05:00

of course you do!

Thanks to BooMama, you can win $500 worth of beauty products. I've never used them, but they look amazing and everything I've read about them says they will change your life.
So, check it out on her giveaways page!

smelling the roses

2009-12-08T22:21:00.004-05:00

For the first time in my adult life, The University of Alabama Crimson Tide has gone 13-0 and won the SEC Championship. I cried during the whole 4th quarter- just overwhelmed by the emotions of it all.
Mark Ingram is a stud. One of the 5 finalists for The Heisman. Love him.
Greg McElroy had the game of his life. Well, at least of this season. He was perfect. Amazing.
Oh, Alabama fans- so witty.

Monday at school. I did wear an Alabama shirt. This picture is ridic. It's in blackandwhite because I looked ROUGH. The B&W helped some.

"Remember the Rose Bowl- we'll win then"

Rue La La

2009-11-16T13:43:00.002-05:00

(From www.ruelala.com)

Rue La La is... an exclusive, invitation-only online destination where Members discover premier-brand, private sale Boutiques, each open for just a brief window of time. Our focus is a well-edited collection of sought-after offerings from the best brand names in the world - combined with helpful service.

Membership is free. It's also invitation-only. Members shape the community by inviting new Members - and getting a $10 Rue La La Credit when each new friend places their first order.

The discovery of something unexpected, something that imbues the day-to-day with a little magic - these are the "ooh la la moments" we long for. And you'll find them here.

Want to join!?
Follow this link!

My Birthday!

2009-11-15T16:11:00.002-05:00

I'm 29.
Not a whole lot to celebrate if you know what I mean.
But I got some great presents!!

~~~~~~~~~~
New digital camera!

Necklace :)
Take-and-Bake (I am SUCH a nerd for being so excited about this!)
ALABAMA WIN! 10-0! RTR!!!

this made me laugh.

2009-11-12T16:25:00.000-05:00

College Football and the Women We Love

and my Cole Haan's don't match that

2009-11-11T16:14:00.000-05:00

I went to TJ Maxx with my mom the other night and purchased the greatest pair of shoes I've ever owned. Their Cole Haan's Nike Air line. Brilliant. Truly magical. They're cute and look great with jeans, but are also SO comfortable. Like Merrell's comfortable, but a lot cuter than that. And for the joy of the Maxx, only $60. LOVE THEM. I've worn them about 6 days of the 7 that I've owned them. You can copy me if you'd like. I would if I were you. Just sayin.

wanna change the world?

2009-11-10T16:15:00.003-05:00

You can.
For kindergartners in Vietnam.Join Jon Acuff at Stuff Christians Like.

Donate.
They raised OVER $30,000 in UNDER 24 hours.
So, he doubled the goal.

I like it.

GIVE ~ GIVE ~ GIVE

Matt Wertz

2009-11-10T15:00:00.000-05:00

Matt Wertz is precious. His music is great.
And now it's free.

He's changed labels and decided to give away free music! Who doesn't love free music?

Just bebop over to his web site www.mattwertz.com and you'll see a little button at the top of the screen. Then the clicking can ensue, and you'll get new music!

You WON'T be disappointed!

Thanks, Annie

2009-11-09T16:35:00.001-05:00

Needed this.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (The Message)

Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen,
Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted,
Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty,
I’m singing joyful praise to God.
I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength.

Thanks, Annie.

Nien Cheng

2009-11-08T16:34:00.000-05:00

I'd never even heard of this woman until today. I was reading James Fallows and he posted about her death.

His summary of her life (and memoir) made me want to read this book- just added to my wishlist on Amazon!

To quote Fallows:
Life and Death in Shanghai, her memoir of her life in China in the pre-Communist era, and then her daughter's murder and her own imprisonment and torture by Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution, was one of the first notable accounts of those years and remains a powerful work of modern non-fiction. Although it has been two decades since I read it, many of the scenes are still vivid. Soon after it was published in 1987, my wife and I were in Shanghai and traced the neighborhoods she had described.

Nien Cheng never returned to mainland China after she got out in 1980, and over the past twenty years she lived mainly in Washington DC. Several times while walking my wife or I had the amazing-each-time experience of passing on the sidewalk a tiny, increasingly frail, but elegant Chinese woman whom we knew to be her. I never dared to say hello or thank her for writing the book, which I now regret all the more. None of her family is left, but her book will endure.

Flying Solo

2009-11-07T16:07:00.000-05:00

My friend and one of my favorite authors, Denise Hildreath, has a blog about living single called "Flying Solo". It's one of those things that I wish I didn't read because it challenges me so much. She has a "guest poster" on their a lot named Ken.
Ken is smart.
And now he's talking about sex.

Which is always interesting.

What I read today was really good- but the part that hit me the hardest was the end.

Most modern Christians don’t do well with being raw. We are afraid that God won’t show up. But Jesus said in Luke 4:18 that he came to set free those who are broken-hearted…that’s us! We need to be set free not in order to sin but to live passionately with God and for Him. Take a risk with God by beginning to take your desires to Him. Be patient with yourself because it will take some time to grow your understanding of God in this way.

Shook me.
I liked it.
And didn't.
You know what I mean?

annoyances

2009-11-06T14:35:00.002-05:00

There are things people say in the Christian world that drive me crazy. Not because I'm super sp or anything, but because I noticed. I'm not saying haven't done/do these things, but I'm annoyed with myself if/when I have/had.

For instance.

It really annoys me when speakers/worship leaders/prayer people/Christian talkers of any kind say that the Bible "reminds us that "quote said scripture here".

I heard a guy say the other night-- "the Bible reminds us that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose".

That doesn't even make any sense.

It's not reminding you. It told you first.
Maybe YOU were reminded by the Bible's words.
But the Bible isn't reminding.

That would be same as saying that "Shakespeare reminds us that a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet".
Uh, no. I'M reminding you. Shakespeare said it first!

This may be stupid. And it may not even make any sense. But it annoys me for some reason.

THE OTHER THING. (and I know this one makes sense.)
I HATE when people say that "worship was good".
Uh. Pretty sure that worship is YOUR response to God, and what you meant was that you liked the music. Just say that. Don't over spiritualize something that IS NOT spiritual.
Your worship can be good in any setting. Good music or not. Fast or slow. Loud or soft. Crying or jumping. It doesn't even have to be music. Because worship isn't music.
Worship is a response.
YOUR response.
YOUR choice.
Stop making it the responsibility of others.
OWN it.
CHOOSE to worship.
Make your worship good.
And let the band know that you liked the music.

My African friend

2009-11-05T16:08:00.003-05:00

When I moved to Georgia, one of my very first friends was Kari. She and I went to church together and quickly became very close "church friends". Kari grew up in the Ivory Coast because her parents were missionaries there. Her family moved back to the States when she was in middle school. After college, Kari went back to Africa and began serving in Senegal. During her time there, God did crazy stuff in her life- and she came home, got married, and then moved with her new husband to France for him to go to medical school.

(Kari and her husband being tourists in Hungary)

She has a blog that I love reading- mainly because I get to know what's going on in her life, but also because she often makes me stop and think about things that my mind wouldn't normally venture toward.

This entry on her blog is recognizing a French-Senegalese author that Kari recently read about.

But, the last sentences in her writing stopped me on a dime.

She wrote, "our roots are just the beginning of who we are"

Isn't that true? So much of who I am relates to where I'm from, but it's not my entire identity. I'm not just from the South. I'm not only from a Christian home. I'm not just a Smith.

Those things are just the start of who I am. But I'm not defined, limited, or acclaimed by my beginnings. It's simply the beginning.

Gene Stallings

2009-10-31T16:09:00.000-04:00

This is one my favorite pictures of my sister and I- sitting on the Bryant bench in Tuscaloosa with the Gene Stallings quote above our heads. The quote is so true- and funny- about Alabama fans.

Stallings coached at Alabama under Bryant during the 70s, then came back in 1990 and proceeded to lead us to a National Championship in 1992- in a HUGE upset over Miami. (He's got the ball! He took the ball away from him!)
And Stallings would have been welcome to stay much longer than he did, but chose to retire in after the 1996 season (and a bowl win over Michigan to end his career at Alabama).

But Coach Stallings left The Capstone.
To focus on "Another Season"- John Mark Stallings. John Mark is Coach Stallings's special needs son. He was born with Down Syndrome and battled congenital heart disease as he aged. Coach Stallings left coaching to focus on life with his son.
John Mark was one of those kids that was almost more famous than his famous daddy because everything that John Mark did was influential on his influential father.

John Mark passed away this past year at the age of 46. It made headlines in the state of Alabama and was on the cover of the UofAlabama campus newspaper, The Crimson and White. The story of John Mark's life was even made news here in Georgia. "Another Season" was written by Coach Stallings and Sally Cook- it's such a great story.

Alabama fans love Bryant, but I'm pretty sure most of us love Coach Stallings and John Mark too.

Daily Drop Cap

2009-10-23T14:36:00.004-04:00

Has Jessica at Daily Drop Cap posted your letter yet? These are mine! Very cute- all very unique!

welcome to 7th grade

2009-10-19T16:27:00.001-04:00

I told one of my students today to "stop being a gossip monger"

He replied, "I'm not a monkey!"

Welcome to 7th Grade.

Biggest Loser Makes me Happy. And Sad. And Angry.

2009-10-13T21:38:00.005-04:00

I hate Tracy on Biggest Loser. She makes me want to scream. UGH. And the fact that she didn't get voted off tonight makes me want to SCREAM. Literally. UGH UGH UGH.

These were my favorite quotes from tonight. GLORIOUS.
If she wants to win, she can do it at home. -Liz

Vomit. Or don't. -Jillian

Are you gonna bitch and cry, or are you going to do it?! -Bob
I'll bitch and cry, but I'll do it! -Rebecca

I don't think I ever met anybody who got fat eating vegetables. -Bob

When I came here, I didn't even know about the prize money. -Coach Mo

But, I still hate Tracy.

Postcards From Splitsville

2009-10-12T20:37:00.004-04:00

Have you ever seen this website? It's called Postcards from Splitsville. It's the saddest thing I've ever read. It's kinda like PostSecret, but it's kids mailing in postcards about their parents' divorce.

It's just heartbreaking. I was tearing up reading them. So sad.

Kate Spade is mean

2009-10-09T13:40:00.000-04:00

I mean, seriously? Make a bracelet THIS cute and then make TWO colors so we have to CHOOSE!?!?! MEAN!!

But seriously.
SO adorable!!

Honestly.

2009-10-05T16:43:00.004-04:00

I went to church w/ my bff last week. Andy Stanley started a new series called "Your Turn"- all about the questions you ask when facing life's tough decisions. You can listen/watch the messages here.

When Rachel wrote about it, I think she hit the nail on the head....

I lie to myself about "punkins".

They're only sold during Halloween season(which Wal-Mart seems to think is August-October)They are my favorite fall color.

They taste AMAZING! Sugary, mallowy, sweetness.

Did I mention, you can only get them for 3 months out of the year?

So...I lie.

I tell myself it's ok to eat an entire bag.

I hoard them like a squirrel.

I don't hibernate or have to save up all of my food until winter....but I eat them like I do.

I tell myself lies. I make myself believe that its ok to binge on "punkins".

While "punkins" may not seem like that big of a deal, it's still a lie.

The real reason I ate the whole bag is....I have no self control.

I have no self control in other areas of my life, as well.
Eating candy is just one of those areas.

If I lie to myself about my lack of candy eating self control...

what bigger lies am I making myself believe?

Just being honest.

not to be an etsy stalker... but...

2009-10-04T19:45:00.002-04:00

I love this.
From My Flip Flopz. They make all kinds of wooden signs. Precious.

adorable etsy finds

2009-10-03T14:03:00.005-04:00

Grease 2

2009-09-24T22:30:00.000-04:00

I'm not embarrassed to say I've had this song in my head ALL day. It makes me laugh out loud.

One of my 7th graders told me she "got" this song- and I had to look her straight in the face and promise her that she didn't. But she would one day. And we would laugh.

Enjoy. Sing along!

Polyvore

2009-09-24T19:00:00.000-04:00

I just found out about this fun fashion website called Polyvore- it's so cool- you can create outfits and wardrobes. Very fun. Very cool. Check it out!

houndstooth by camismith featuring Alexander McQueen accessories

Want to Help?

2009-09-23T15:09:00.003-04:00

This is Clarkdale Elementary School in Austell, GA- which is a part of the school district where I teach. It was flooded this past week during the rains in Atlanta. I can't even imagine if this was my school. I would be devastated. So much lost.
But, the kids are headed back to school tomorrow. They won't be at Clarkdale, but rather split between two nearby schools.

Obviously, the recovery is gonna take a while. Not only does the physical building have to be restored, students and teachers lost all of their supplies. (Last time I moved classrooms, it took 12 boxes to move all of my stuff!!)

If you live in the Atlanta area, you can partner with 11Alive and The School Box will be taking donations at any area School Box during the week of Sept. 26-27.
If you're not in Atlanta or just don't have time to go by The School Box, you can give online. You can give here. All gifts are tax deductible.

Stuff Christians Like!!

2009-09-23T10:47:00.000-04:00

I know I just blogged about Jon and SCL the other day, but this is BIG news!!
You can now pre-order your copy of the Stuff Christians Like book from Amazon. It's gonna be hilarious- no doubt. You'll like it. It's not available until April, but what a good thing to look forward to!