Fly Away

Try to ignore my muddy knees! I was helping the kids with their lunches at the picnic in the park

Lately Talia (my lovely photographer and avid blog follower) has been insisting that I do more with my blog. She tells me "I checked your blog today... and you haven't posted anything new..." then she adds "And I take the pictures for you-- I know what pictures you have!" So, this is for her... 

Every summer since I have been in middle school I have volunteered at the elementary school summer school. I love it there- I am completely in my element. I want to go into a future career of elementary education for the deaf and blind, and the summer school program helps me not only to learn how to teach children things different ways, but it also teaches me how to be a fun teacher. I get to work with the most amazing women! The way that they teach so fun to watch! Mrs. Gerard makes the kids laugh so hard, and Mrs. Weazemore finds ways to make all of the kids feel like they are learning so much!

The reason that I love summer school the most, however, is the children. They are the cutest kids, and they all have such unique and wonderful personalities. I love being able to volunteer with the kids and actually get to know them and become their friend as well as their teacher. They all have so much personality, and some of the things that they say make me laugh sooo hard!

Here's some things that my 1st graders wrote in my journal (the boys were so excited when they found out that I had a 'diary' because they all wanted to write in it and know some of my secrets hahaha)

"Cora is nice and pretty!!!!! And I like Cora purse. and I like Cora flipflops. Love Brody!"

"I lik Cora. I goiried Cora I body goiried Cora. I like reede wif cora."-Domminic 

"Cora you are portty! I  love you. when you came to school you were Nice."-Marlee 

"from Makenzie to cora you are nis. You aree fun."

Those kids just make me laugh!!

All of the kids in summer just love my novelty necklaces. Every day they run up to me hoping to see what type of crazy necklace I am wearing. This little bird cage is one of their favorites. I love that it is one of their favorites because I see each of those little kids as so special.

 When I was a little girl in elementary school I had to go to summer school for reading. It was so hard. I felt like I was stupid! I wasn't as good as the rest of the kids that were in my class, because I had to go to summer school. Summer School has such a negative connotation, and the kids that go should not be subjected to that. They should not have to feel like they are not as good as the other kids in their class. 

Even though when I was younger I struggled with reading and had to attend special classes and summer school, that did not, and does not, mean that I am not as smart as the other students in my class. It means that I learned differently and I wasn't ready to read. Kids learn things at their own pace, and just because they are different does not mean that they are stupid. 

Going to summer school or having to take classes to learn to read better should not define who you are.It doesn't matter. I am a 4.0 student. I am involved in so much in the school and the community, and  I am at the top of my class. 

I want all of my students to know that they are special! They can do amazing things, and they will soar!

Outfit Details: Shoes-Target, Jeans-Target, Shirt- T. J. Maxx, Sweater- T. J. Maxx, Pearl Necklace & Earings- Rue 21, Bird Cage Necklace- Debs, Ring- Vintage  

To Write...

I want to write. More than wanting to, I need to. Something inside of me has the desperate need to tell a story, something that is in my mind longing to be released I have to do it! 

If anyone knows me at all they know that I am constantly journaling. I constantly record my thoughts, feelings, fears, and dreams. My journal is a part of me that is essential to who I am and how I feel. If I am ever upset or excited my journal is the first one to know about it. 

But because writing in my journal comes so naturally to me, and it is simply my story and my thoughts, it doesn't fill that urge in me to write. 

I haven't been writing lately, and I miss it!!I miss the feel of paper that has been written on and the ink stains on my hands. I miss my characters. I miss my notebooks that are falling apart. I miss the perfectly misspelled words, and the rush of having to fill the page before my thoughts slip away. I miss living in another time and land. 

Writing is something that has been pushed onto the bottom of my to do list for too long, and i miss it sooo much!! I must start to write again, and i will!!  

I know that writing is something that Heavenly Father wants me to do! It is part of my divine nature to have a love of writing, and i intend to use it!! I need to use my talents so I don't lose them! What's the point of having a talent if you don't use it to help and better others, or make others happy?!

 And all this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may ^aimprove upon his ^btalent, that every man may ^cgain other ^dtalents, yea, even an hundred fold, to be cast into the Lord’s ^estorehouse, to become the common ^fproperty of the whole church— D&C 82:18