Thanks!

This year, I was one of 1,282 bloggers who joined in the April 2011 A-Z Blogging Challenge. We made it! Thanks, Elizabeth Mueller for doling out the awards!

Z is for Zealous

I was zealous when undertaking this A to Z April Challenge. My goal really was to keep up and blog every day. However, life happens, and post-teaching exhaustion took hold. Although I got behind schedule, I was able to catch up and get in a post for all 26 letters of the alphabet by the end of April. I enjoyed the challenge and meeting other A to Z bloggers along the way. Thanks to everyone who visited my blog during the challenge. I hope to join in again next year!

Y is for Yolk

I knew this picture would come in handy one day! I take pictures at random, and one morning, I liked the color combination of the egg white and yolk when scrambling eggs for breakfast.

X is for Xzavier

This is a student who struggles with learning and comprehension on a daily basis. I have been working with him all year and trying different strategies to help him "get it." Sometimes I judge my teaching abilities by the achievement and growth of the Xzaviers that enter my classroom.

W is for Wisdom

Wisdom: "She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and happy is every one that retaineth her." (Proverbs 3:18)

"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.... She openeth her mouth with wisdom.... A woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own words praise her in the gates." (Proverbs 31:10-31)

In the third chapter of Proverbs, I find it interesting that wisdom is personified as feminine.

V is for Violence

While I am catching up on my A to Z blogging, my husband is playing Call of Duty, a pretty violent video game. War, bloodshed, dramatic music... oozing testosterone.  Not sure that I can stay in this room much longer.... ;-)

U is for United

Tennessee teachers and supporting laborers (including groups like Teamsters, Machine Workers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and others) marched in Nashville to oppose change in education policies that were created to change tenure procedures and prevent teacher labor unions from organizing together and bargaining with local and state governments.

T is for Turtles

My husband and I got these turtles when were in college. We purchased them in a beach shop in Florida when they were golf-ball size. Now, they are the size of my hand with fingers spread wide! We had them for about 5 years, and then last year, we gave them to my friend (a biology teacher) to put in her daughter's room. They are red-ear sliders and do not require much upkeep aside from feeding and aquarium maintenance. They respond well to people. When we would walk into their room, they would swim to the side of their tank to meet us. It was sweet.

S is for Summer School

I have decided to teach summer school writing classes this year. Summer school will last for one month, so I will still have a few weeks off. It will be worth it. In fact, I think this is how I'm going to fund the iPad I've been wanting....

R is for Reading, Rest, and Relaxation

This is bliss to me:

Q is for Quidditch

I read the Harry Potter series when I was in high school and even stood in line to purchase the last few books. My husband didn't get into it at first, but once he started reading the books, one of the first parts he told me sparked his interest was quidditch. He is a sports fan, and he enjoyed reading about this sport imagined by J. K. Rowling. This impressed me because it shows me that, as an author, Rowling is able to appeal to a wide audience of people. I am not so in tune with the sports scene as my husband, so that was definitely not something that stood out for me in the books.

Something that seems odd to me lately though is that there are now college teams playing a version of quidditch, and I'm not very fond of this idea. There is even an International Quidditch Association. Hmmm....

P is for Photography

I love taking pictures and photo-editing. I frequently use my digital camera and smart phone to take pictures whenever inspiration strikes, and digital picture frames are a blessing because I would never have enough money or space to print and display all the pictures I've taken.

The picture above was taken last weekend during a walk in the park with my friend. My dog ran to the end of his leash trying to get to this tree, and we looked up and saw this squirrel checking us out.

O is for Only for a Short While

My Dogwood tree in my front yard bloomed as if overnight last month, and I captured this snapshot of it. Last week, however, I came home from work to find that all the petals had dropped to the ground. Now it is full and green and will remain so for the rest of summer. I'm glad I caught it in its moment of full glory. Last April, when we were looking at our house for the first time before buying, I took the picture below when this same tree was in bloom.

N is for Now

Now, on this lovely Easter weekend, I am taking some time to catch up on my A to Z posting. :)

M is for Moon

I took this picture of the moon from my back yard last week.

"He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. / Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth." (Psalms 104:19-20)

L is for Labor

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. / Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. / For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (St. Matthew 11:28-30)

This is a verse that brings me comfort. It has come to my mind a lot lately.

K is for Keeping Up... or not...

As you can see, I have fallen behind on my A-Z April. In fact, today is P day, and I have just made it to K. Life and particularly my work for me right now seem to be a matter of keeping up, which is not my favorite way to get through a day, but... such is life.... For now, I'm keeping up with the essentials. This weekend, I plan to catch up on my A-Z, especially since it will be a 3 day weekend. Everything will be oK. :)

J is for... Summer...?

Yes, J is for the summer months of June and July. These are my favorite months of the year, or at least I will say that until my Christmas spirit flares back up.... :) As of now, I cannot wait for summer to roll around again. The picture above is from Nassau, Bahamas - a summer

place all year long. The picture below is of a local lake where I spend much time with my husband and friends during the summertime.

I is for Inspiration... I is for Imagery

I find thrilling the moment when fresh inspiration strikes. Then, there are the times when writing feels like searching, pulling, digging, tearing at bits of something, anything to fit somehow the puzzle of what I am trying to write. As for the puzzle part, my writing does tend to become a puzzle because I tend to dream up images, scenes, characters..., which I then need to piece together with a unified plot.

When inspiration does shine through for me, I find that if I don't record my thoughts, they disappear. Today, I had a moment of inspiration. Needless to say, I took the time to jot it down. Here is what I came up with:

With his trimmed blonde hair, broad shoulders, and tall, athletic posture, the frame of solid masculinity that left her consciously remembering to take a breath, he retreated down the hallway, through the golden-yellow office, the warm brown kitchen, the dimly-lit den - passed through the 4 doorways, only 1 door at the end to block, allowing a single moment of hesitation before slipping out. He was gone.

Rooted to the wooden floor, limbs heavy and unmoving, unable to follow him, she heard the resounding echoes from the plodding kitchen wall clock arm signaling the fleeting time.

In the novel I am currently dreaming up, there are three different relationships I can imagine this scene happening with, but I have yet to decide how it best fits into my plot...

H is for Heaven

"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the lamb. / In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yeilded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of nations. / And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:/ And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. / And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. "  (Revelation 22:1-5)

These verses are near and dear to my heart for special reasons. I hope you find great meaning and spiritual inspiration in them also. For me, reading this selection from the final chapter of the last book of the Bible is "as cool water to a thirsty soul."