I Went to Disneyland!!

I'm just going to warn you right now: You're going to be jealous by this post unless you've been to Southern California (specifically Disneyland and Magic Mountain Six Flags) in the past seven days.

Ryan, Me and Craig and in front of the Magic Kingdom. Did you know they are giving away Dream Suite nights where you actually get to sleep in the castle for a night? Amazing huh?The Incredibles, Me, Ryan and Craig

You heard it here folks. A friend of mine celebrated a birthday last week and instead of planning the lame old regular party, we decided it would be a grand idea to visit the happiest place on Earth. Of course, when we originally talked about it, we didn't actually think we would go to Disneyland. I mean, what 26,27 and 29 year old people who are all teachers in the last little bit of the year actually take time off of work to go to Disneyland? Well...me and my crew do. And oh my is it soooo much better than I remember it.



In addition to being the first people in line to meet Mickey Mouse, having front row seats for Fantasmic and the Million Dreams Fireworks Spectacular, riding EVERY important ride in both California Adventure and Disneyland at least twice, watching the Disneyland Electrical Parade while enjoying a spectacular bottle of wine at the pseudo winery in California Adventure and getting more wet on Splash Mountain that once thought possible, we were also lucky enough to spend a day at Six Flags.



Imagine if you will a nice Monday morning...we exit our convertible that we rented for the weekend onto the grounds of Magic Mountain. We walk up to wait in line for the park to open. As we're waiting, there is a rather large group of people just hanging out and workers are doing this little dance/entertain the crowd thing. Being three lovely high school teachers, we of course have no problem making fools of ourselves, so we begin to dance along with them. Imagine our surprise when they announce that they have chosen us to be the openers of the park for that day?!? At first we're thinking "no big deal...just going to walk in front of some people." No. That isn't it at all. In order to be the openers of the park, one must ride on a float with a variety of characters, dance around to "Celebrate Good Times" and then at just the right moment, push down a giant TNT thing that releases confetti into the air thus announcing that Magic Mountain is open for the day. Yep. I did that. I'm kind of a big deal. People know me.


So yeah. Went to Disneyland for a few days. Had an absolute blast. Love my friends. Enjoy the pictures. (Don't I look cute in the picture with Minnie? I love her!)

Ryan, the shortest Mickey Mouse ever, Me, Craig

Sigh...

You know when you get to a point in life when really the only thing you can do is sigh? Like (and for the record I actually stopped and erased the word "like" because I really do hate using it lest I sound like a high schooler...I mean, I spend enough time with them, I don't need to talk like them too...but it fits here) there isn't any other solution or thing that can make you feel better. Generally speaking sighing is reserved for situations that you are exasperated with or just want to give up on...so I suppose this doesn't really fit because I don't want to give up, but really what else is there to do?


Some students that I may or may not work with at a rather large suburban high school (always want to protect some shred of anonymity right?) are making some rather POOR choices as of late and I think all that is left to do is sigh. A few weeks ago a bunch of them went on a trip to NYC, some of them smoked an illegal substance, some of them got suspended. It was the talk of the town. You would think that making an example of a few prominent students would be enough...but alas, another group of students are on another trip and the very same thing happens. Really? What are they thinking? It's almost like a slap in the face you know. We spend all of this time talking about making good decisions and how choices affect our futures...yep. Been talking to myself apparently. This is the part of the job that I abosolutely hate.

But here is the part of the job that I absolutely LOVE!!

We beat the rival by one point. Sure...that brings our record to something like 2-7 but whatever. For those brief moments life was grand.

And here are a bunch of CHAPERONES...yep adults at the high school dance getting our picture taken.

Why wouldn't you want to be a high school teacher? Perhaps I'm just a little bit premature in passing out my sighs.

Loving People On Purpose

Hmm...it's been awhile...though how can you really be disappointed when the last blog I posted had a picture of me in a Christmas sweater and my friend in a full length red velvet dress? If you're complaining after that, get a life. Take pleasure in the simple things. Really.

While there are numerous things I could write about...went and visited my dad and his side of the family over the holidays, just finishing up Semester One of teaching year three, moved into a new house with a roommate again...all of those fail in comparison to something serious that has actually been on my heart lately.

Relationships. (No. Not a relationship. Just relationships in general. And by the way, wouldn't you be really mad if you were reading about me having a boyfriend via a blog? You should be. That's a lame way to spread the news. Sorry to those of you who have written blogs about dating new people)

The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul and mind. The second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself.

Love God passionately. Love His people on purpose. Both of these statements seem to be pretty simple to understand, but for some reason they all of the sudden have this new found meaning and urgency to them. Loving God passionately and loving His people on purpose is what I was made for and if I'm not doing that, something is wrong.

Remember how I was talking about how restless I've become as of late? Well over break I received a job offer to work at a charter school in Baltimore. It came with more money, more opportunities, pretty much more everything. I was pretty excited about it when I came home and immediately began telling some people from work about it. Though in the midst of my excitement, there was something that just didn't feel right about it. I didn't understand why I WOULDN'T want to take this job...

So I thought...and prayed....and thought some more about what it was that was holding me back from doing this until something hit me.

My relationships. These people that I thought I just worked with on a daily basis have become something to me that I never expected. They're my friends and I love them...but honestly, I have a lot of friends. My friends at work have become people I love on purpose...a card on a big game day, coffee while talking about a student, a smile and a hug when they're getting divorced. Over the last three years our lives have become this interconnected sort of thing that all of the sudden makes perfect sense. God knew exactly what He was doing when He brought me to this place...I just didn't trust that He did. He knew that these people were going to become a part of me and that I was going to become a part of them and that no amount of money or no grandiose opportunities could take me away from it. Not yet anyways.

It seems that all too often I try to take things into my own control. I get restless. I want to change. Me. Me. Me. Funny how God shakes things up huh? It's like when Peter calls out to Jesus and He commands him to step out of the boat and walk on the water. Everything is going fine for Peter...he's walking on the water, but then he looks away from Jesus and SPLASH!! He falls. That's like me...everything can be going just fine...walking along on the water, and the moment I take my eyes off of Him it all falls apart.

So yeah...a bit random, but not really because I've been challenged to love people on purpose. They're there for a reason. He knows the reason. He'll let me in on it when the time is right.

Merry Christmas!

From my work family (festively clad in wonderful holiday attire) to yours:

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Jesus :)

I'm Restless...

About every six months I start to get this uncontrollable desire to pick up and move. I get these ideas about how great it would be to move to New York City and start working in an inner-city school or maybe even drop everything and check out the life in Africa somewhere. I always end up talking myself out of it, but for some reason I feel like I might actually have to do some serious thinking and praying about where God is calling me in life this time. All too often it seems that we get sort of pigeon-holed (sorry for the lame cliche. I usually try to avoid them, but this one just seems to fit) into what we think life holds...I'm a teacher. I have a great job in an outstanding district. I'm living rather comfortably. Things are by all means good...but really...is this all there is? Is this what God made me to be or is there just a little bit more that I'm not allowing myself to realize because I'm comfortable where I'm at? I dunno. Like I said...some serious prayer needs to be taking place in the next few weeks, months, etc. I've always tried to live my life with no regrets. I don't want to get to a place in time when I'm looking back and saying "Crap. Why didn't I..." Hmm...interesting blog thoughts this evening...

Enjoy me as Rainbow Brite to ease your mind :) Best Halloween Costume EVER!!!

The Beaver Nation Migration

Remember how two months ago I vowed to be a whole lot better with blogging? I claimed that once school started I would have so many stories to share I just wouldn't be able to keep myself away from the blogosphere...ha ha. Yeah. That's funny. What was I thinking? I wasn't obviously. Ah well. I have a fun story to share with you now which is all that really matters right?

The Beaver Nation Migration. What is that you ask? Well let's just say that it involves a fundraiser for an autistic student at my school, the first event of the First Annual Allen vs. Hottmann TA (Teacher's Assistant) Olympics, a Beaver costume, a Rhythm Bee Costume, a 2.7 mile walk to a football game and 250 or so students.

My friend Matt issued a challenge to the student body: raise $250 for Project Aaron and I will walk from Beaverton to Southridge for the annual football game while wearing the Bucky the Beaver costume. Excellent idea. Everyone loves it. But not as much as they love the thought of me walking with him in the Rhythm Bee costume. I wasn't really all about it, so I said sure...if you raise $1000. In my mind I was thinking that this was virtually impossible. Ha. Wrong.

Hottmann and I each have a team of TA's and they compete against each other in a variety of events ranging from stapling to delivering messages to pretty much any sort of ridiculous TA task. Well our lovely students took it upon themselves to raise the money for The Beaver Nation Migration and between the 1o of them raised nearly $1300!! So proud of them.

So yeah. We suited up last Friday afternoon and walked..yes WALKED across town with a ton of kids to the football game. This is why I teach high school! It was the talk of the town. Proud to be Beaver!

I've Done It Again...

Don't you think it's sad that whenever that phrase is mentioned everyone automatically thinks of that horrific Brittany Spears (is that how you spell her name? or is it Britney?) song "Oops I Did It Again"? I think it is. I like the phrase, but can't really bring myself to use it that often because of the conotation.

Well what I'm referring to is the fact that I've managed to suck at blogging again. I have these great intentions...honest. I do fun stuff and I want to tell everyone about it, but then the time comes for me to actually sit down at the computer and do it and nothing happens. A quick check of the email and then I'm off to something else. So yes. I apologize.

I also apologize because apparently I have been "tagged" by about 84 people in the past few weeks and I know they're dieing to read my 8 random/interesting facts. I'm just going to say up front that I'm not tagging anyone else after I finish writing though. Sorry. I have a reuputation to uphold for not following any rules and basically ruining everything fun :) Without further adieu...

The Rules:

1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.

2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

3. People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules. (If you don’t have a blog, email me)

4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.My 8 random facts/habits about myself:

1. After reading Ang's blog, I realize that I subconciously picked up her deathly fear of moths. Now that I think about it, I was never afraid of moths until I became her friend. Now I can't stand the little things. When they are flying around light I generally throw up a little bit in my mouth which is then followed by a long "ewwwww that thing is gross" and me walking rather briskly away. This in turn is followed by a lot of laughter and ridicule from whoever I am with at the time.

2. Whenever I hear Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" I am immediately reminded of a humorous/most embarassing EVER student teaching experience that involved a stage, a spotlight, a last song at a dance, five little high school boys parting a rather large crowd and a choreographed dance to lines that centered on "all we want for Christmas is you Ms. Allen."

3. One of my life goals is to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

4. I am the advisor for the dance/drill team at the high school I work at. The team is called the Rhythm B's and they are reminiscent of a 1950s sort of pep rally cheerleading squad that wears the same wool sweaters and polyester skirts that all Rhythm B's before them wore. "The Line" (as they are affectionately referred to as) rules the school. When they walk into the gym during an assembly or walk onto the football field during halftime, the entire crowd errupts into thunderous applause and sings every word of the fight song while they perform the SAME DANCE THEY'VE DONE SINCE THE 1950s.

5. My favorite spot in the entire world is a log under a tree on the banks of the Yukon River. It sits below a sign that reads Kokrine Hills Bible Camp and you can look out at one of the most peaceful yet one of the most dangerous rivers of all time. Many a good conversations have been had here as have many tears been shed. I've watched a lot of people come to truly know God at this place and have definitely learned a good bit about Him as well.

6. My life changed the day I set foot onto the ground of Johannesburg, South Africa. Spending the time I did at The Love of Christ Ministries caused me to see life in an entirely different way. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.

7. I like to work out first thing in the morning...like at 5am. Something about getting up and going to the gym makes my day a lot better.

8. One of my new hobbies is winetasting. I never drank wine until about a month ago and now I really enjoy spending time at fine wineries around the state.

I promise I'll do better with blogging. Talk to you soon!