Thankful

Whoa, it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on this little blog of mine. And it’s not as though it hasn’t been on the back of my mind. Because it absolutely has. I feel a little twinge of guilt each time I opt to do something else in favor of writing. It’s no excuse, because life is busy for everyone, but I feel as though I’ve been moving a million miles a minute these past few months. And with a new addition to the family – more on that to come – spare time has been hard to come by. But I’m hoping I still have a few readers left after this over-a-month hiatus. And even if I don’t, I’ll still take this time to write down who and what I’m thankful for.

TXU Turkey Trot - a Thanksgiving morning tradition five years running

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday – great food, family time, many of my friends are all in the same city, a little vacay from the chaos of high school freshmen, and the best part of all, a reason to give thanks. It’s something I should – and I really do try! – to practice every day, but I’m glad for an excuse to reflect on what I am truly thankful for. I read an article the other day that focused on the importance of choosing to be grateful, especially for the seemingly small things. I absolutely loved that reminder. It's easy to be thankful for the big, important things, but some days, it's all you have to be thankful for the chocolate chips in your morning yogurt. And now, it's time for what has turned into a yearly tradition - what I'm thankful for.

I’m thankful for a job. And not just a job, but a job that I absolutely love. I firmly believe that I get to teach the best kids (most of the time) at the best school with the very best people. It’s funny to think back to a year ago, when I was saying these things, because I thought it was selfish of me to not like my job, but not actually meaning them.  This year, I really and truly mean them. Sure, there are days where I question my sanity – who voluntarily spends a majority of their day with 15-year-olds? But I’m at a place where I love going to work each day, and that’s not something everyone gets to say. My students work hard, they make me proud, they make me sigh, they make me laugh, and just the other day I was sitting on a desk with my class of 34, reading and discussing Book 9 of The Odyssey, when it hit me that I’ve really got the best job in the world. And then there are days when you kick two students out in the first five minutes but hey, you can’t win them all.

On that same note, I’m thankful for a classroom to call my own. It may be 95 degrees and rising one day, and 50 degrees with the air conditioning blowing the next, but what a difference having your own classroom makes. And I even have a window. So I must be doing something right in the BHS world.

 

From a classroom-on-a-cart to...

A room with a view

I’m thankful for the opportunity to stay involved with the sport that gave me so much as a player. Being a coach is hard, and I’d be lying if I said I knew what I was doing more than half the time. But that means I never stop learning, and it has made me want to go back to each and every one of my coaches throughout the years to tell them just how much I appreciate them, and all of the hard work that they put in to not only teaching me the sport of volleyball or basketball or soccer, but for teaching me the value of hard work, a good attitude, and demonstrating good sportsmanship. I absolutely love taking off my teaching hat and putting on my coaching hat. I love to think that I can be a role model for at least one of the girls, the way that so many of my coaches were for me. My girls exhausted me and made me laugh and taught me new dance moves and worked really, really hard, and they made the long days at school 100% worth it.

Proud of my girls for owning the 90's apparel

When former players come back to visit

And to add to that, I’m thankful to work with the very best coaching crew around. To Ap, Todd, and Melissa, you guys are the greatest, and I just love working with you guys! You guys are patient with me, you encourage me, you’re always there to teach me the coaching ropes, and with all of the time that we spend together, I never get tired of being around y’all. And that’s a rarity. You guys make coaching fun!

 

We also take up eight seats on the bench

I think I say this every year, but this year I’m especially thankful for two healthy legs that allow me to run. Training for a marathon is no easy feat, but I am constantly amazed by my body and how it carries me to new distances. This past weekend I ran my longest distance to date – 15.5 miles – and I honestly felt as though I could have run all day. I didn’t, but I like to say that I could have completed at least one more loop around Memorial Drive. The shin splints back in February and March that kept me on the sideline for a few weeks were so hard for me, because running is my very favorite “me time.” It’s time to think and process and shake things off, so not a run goes by where I’m not grateful for two strong, healthy legs. Even if my volleyball players tell me that “I have big legs.” I’ll take them.

I’m thankful for the greatest friends in all the land. From Houston to Dallas to Corpus Christi to Austin to New York City to Chicago to San Francisco to Uganda; from teaching to accounting to medical school to banking to law school to fashion design, we cover lots of fields in lots of areas. And I’m learning that the real world makes it hard to keep in touch sometimes. Life gets in the way, and suddenly it’s been weeks since I’ve asked my friends how they’re doing, or since I’ve caught up with them over frozen yogurt. But no matter the distance, and no matter the varying interests, each one of them has given me so much – laughter, advice, hugs, walks, late night chats, encouraging texts – and I’m just not sure what I would do without y’all.

I’m thankful for the gift of travel, and along with that, new experiences. It goes without saying that teaching is a travel-lover’s dream job, and I’m thankful for the greatest summer of discovering new places and trying new things. I posted about this before, but scuba diving was something I never thought I would do. Ever. It scared the heck out of me, so when Cheyney called me and asked me if I wanted to get scuba certified with her, I couldn’t believe I was actually saying yes. But I think the fact that it was an excuse to travel to Cozumel had a little something to do with it. And I fell in love with the sport, and I hope wherever I travel to this summer grants me the opportunity to explore the underwater world. And maybe it wasn’t quite as adventurous, but I am thankful all the same for a cousin who let me invade his studio apartment in the heart of New York City. I fell in love with the city that never sleeps (don’t worry, I absolutely did), and I certainly couldn’t have experienced all that I did without a cousin who gave me a place to stay.

That gives me the perfect opportunity to segway into family. Wow, have I got the best family around. Call me biased, but I think they’re the best. From the moment we were born, my parents have always centered their lives around my brother and me. Always doing what was best for us, always redoing their schedules so that we could do what we wanted to do. And they never gave it a second thought. And I never really realized how much they sacrificed. How hard it can be to drop your daughter off for 6am basketball practice, to then pick me up immediately after school and drive 30 minutes (without traffic) to volleyball practice three nights a week. To shuttle me from Girl Scout meetings to swim team practice to YoungLife, and making sure I ate a (somewhat) healthy dinner along the way. Who put aside their own desires to take trips with me to Indiana and Minnesota for volleyball tournaments, and to Cooperstown for baseball tournaments. Who gave their kids the world, and who still give their kids the world. You guys are the greatest support system, and I’m truly not sure where I would be without you.

And remember that new addition to the family? World, meet Mack Tomlinson. My 13-week-old beagle puppy. Who has brought me more joy than I ever thought possible. Who has given me puncture wounds and kept me up at night, but who has taught me what love really is. I love being his mom – taking him on walks, playing with him, chasing after him, and giving him his forever home. When I was just beginning to think about calling him mine, my dad told me, “Kel, you realize this is a 15-year commitment, right?” The best commitment I ever could have made. He’s got endless energy and floppy ears that will break hearts one day. He’s friendly and loving and I’m just so glad he’s mine.

Yes, he's named after Mack Brown

I’m thankful for a roof over my head, a car that gets me from point A to point B, KSBJ Monday morning texts, sunshine and fall weather, health and happiness, and a God who continues to chase after me, even when he’s far from the front of my mind. For friends who hold me accountable, for warm socks and fuzzy blankets, for Longhorn football and dairy-free chocolate. 

For time to read every now and again, 

for volunteer opportunities, for traffic-filled commutes that let me jam to my favorite music, and for my beloved KitchenAid Stand Mixer. For words of affirmation and immature jokes, for mentors, and for a glass of white wine after a long, long day. For hope in a world that is so often broken, for those who fight selflessly for our freedom. 

For a wise vet who takes good care of my sweet Mack, for days when I get to see the sun rise and set, for group texts, and last but not least, for all of YOU for continuing to read this blog. I’m great about posting, and then I neglect it for a month. But your kind words about it – big and small – mean so much to me. So, here’s to a blogging comeback!

I hope you all enjoy a fabulous Thanksgiving – full of family and loved ones, friends, delicious food (wear your stretchy pants!), and football (Hook’em Horns!). Spend a little bit of time thinking about what you’re thankful for – because it's so much more life-giving to focus on what you do have, rather than on what you don't. 

The Book of Questions

Happy 2015! Can you believe it's 2015? I turn 23 this year, and apparently nobody likes you when you're 23 so...

Anyway, I hope you all had a fun and safe new years celebration. Mine was pretty low-key, which is just what I needed this year. I had all the intentions in the world to wake up and run the Commitment Day 5K sponsored by LifeTime Athletic in City Centre, but when my alarm went off (and went off and went off and went off), I just could not seem to drag myself out of bed. My dad came in and asked me if I planned on getting up, and I mumbled a convincing "No," and rolled over. I stayed in bed until 11:00am. I'm just soaking it up while I can! But I truly can't remember the last time I stayed in bed that late. It's been a long week!

I got up and immediately exchanged my pair of Happy Socks for some athletic socks and my tennis shoes, and headed out the door for my first run of 2015. It was very cold and started misting a bit, but I've already got 5 miles of mine and Amira's goal of running 2,015 miles down. Not a bad start to the year!

I didn't quite give myself enough time to shower before meeting up with one of my sweet YoungLife girls who happened to be visiting Houston for a couple of days. It's hard to believe that I met those girls when they were in 6th and 7th grade, and now they're sophomores in high school. Time sure does fly, and it was wonderful to share lunch with her at my favorite restaurant (I'll let you guys take a guess at that one), and catch up on how life is going for her back in Austin. We braved the cold and rain and walked around Rice Village a little bit before retreating back to my car where we turned the heater onto full blast.

Selfie game still going strong in 2015

I then popped back home for a quick minute, before heading out once again to run some errands with my friend Gayle. When we get together we can easily talk for hours, and we sat in her car in her driveway fogging up the windows (I know what you're thinking, not like that!) just talking for over an hour and a half. Though it was cold and damp outside, we managed to make the best of the dreary first day of the year.

And now, because you know I love a good survey, I figured there is no better way than to start off the year with one. And because I don't have a lot of other material for you guys today, whoops! I'll try to be more creative tomorrow. But until then, enjoy learning maybe even one new thing about me!

1. Do you have a middle name?
One of the most common middle names in the world - Elizabeth. Out of nine of us who lived in The Clubhouse, four of us had the middle name Elizabeth. 

2. What was your favorite subject in school?
I'm probably shaming myself as an English teacher, but I always had a thing for math.
 

(Source)

3. What's your favorite drink?
I'm a water girl through and through. I also love a good glass of champagne, and I'm finally learning how to like wine. I have never in my entire life liked soda, which made birthday parties as a kid pretty strange.

4. What's your favorite song at the moment?

Night Changes by One Direction. I know. Embarrassing. I promise I'm an adult!

5. What would you name your children?
I've got a list going, and I'm holding onto the hope that I have four children - two boys and two girls. Ryan, Ross, Reagan, and Rylie. I'm all about that alliteration.

6. Do you participate in any sports?
I actually just signed myself up for a sand volleyball league. Here goes nothing!

7. What's your favorite book? 
I've got a few, so to be fair to my bookshelf, I'll name my very favorites.

• Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers
• Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
• Harry Potter Series - J.K. Rowling
• Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

8. What's your favorite color?
I love pink, but I also love orange, yellow, and red. I really love all colors, to be honest.

9. What's your favorite animal?
It's been a monkey for as long as I can remember. I even wrote a poem about them once -

"Monkeys like swinging from tree to tree.

I like monkeys, and monkeys like me."

Profound, right?

10. What's your favorite perfume?

Daisy by Marc Jacobs.

11. What's your favorite holiday?
I'll be honest, I love my birthday. But if we're being real, I love Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July a lot.

12. Have you graduated from High School?
Class of 2010.

Once a Spartan, always a Spartan

13. Have you been out of the country?
I have, and I want nothing more than to explore other countries. I've been bitten by the travel bug!

The Louvre with my cousin

14. Do you speak any other languages?
Once upon a time I was okay at Spanish. I'm not sure that I can make that claim anymore.
 
15. Do you have any siblings?
1 little brother, who attends that school north of the Red River.

16. What's your favorite store?
Anthropologie. I have a serious problem. Either that, or Target. When's the last time you walked out of there with only what you intended to buy? Yeah, that's what I thought.

17. What's your favorite restaurant?
Hungry's. It's my go-to.
 
18. Do you like school? 
I do, and though I am still technically in school (on the other side of things), I miss being a student. A master's program may be in my future, so stay tuned.

AP Physics

Creative destruction (this is ironic because I'm not creative in the least)

19. Who are some of your favorite YouTubers?
I don't follow any YouTubers regularly, and to be honest, it takes a lot for me to watch a YouTube video, for whatever reason.


20. What's your favorite movie? 
Remember the Titans, Mean Girls, She's the Man, The Sandlot, among others.

21. What are some of your favorite TV shows?
Friday Night Lights, Boy Meets World, Full House - classics.

22. PC or Mac?
I use both a PC and a Mac, and though I am certainly partial to my MacBook, I don't hate using a PC quite as much as I thought I would. 
 
23. What phone do you have?
I'm up on the iPhone game and I have an iPhone 6. I know, you all are shocked, because I had an iPhone 4 until right before I traded that one in and got the 6.

Hello 21st Century

24. How tall are you?
5'5"

25. Any pets? 
No, but I came way too close to applying to adopt a puppy, before realizing that I really don't have the time that a puppy deserves.

Nothing too crazy, I figured that would hold you over until I find the time to go through one of my latest purchases - The Book of Questions. That's when things will really start getting interesting! Happy football watching!

Things I'm Loving Friday X

Happy Fourth of July!!! I am thankful every day that I live in America, but I am especially thankful today, on the day of our country's independence. We are the land of the free and the home of the brave, and I am truly so proud to be an American.

SRD is decked out for the Fourth

I hope this holiday treats you very well - I have quite the full schedule ahead of me, crossing a few things off of my list - and I hope to round off the day watching fireworks in the great city of Austin. It occurred to me just last week that I have yet to spend a Fourth of July in Austin. The summer after my freshman year I was in Colorado at Crooked Creek Ranch; the summer after my sophomore year I was in Barcelona with Sarah (singing songs about America); and last summer Dylan and I went to Houston so that he could meet my parents. Crazy how time flies!

That makes this my first Fourth of July in Austin, and I am hoping to go to my very favorite spot in Austin - Mt. Bonnell - to watch the fireworks. I'm not one for crowds (mainly it's the traffic that gets to me), and I tend to prefer the more low-key watch-spots, so I'm hoping this spot won't disappoint.

Anyway, I'm off to get in a workout for the day - I'm sure to report back on that one - before beginning to cross things off of my to-do list! But, before I go, let's end this post with my tenth edition of Things I'm Loving. Enjoy!

Things I'm Loving

Shakespeare

My roommate Jamie Lynn surprised me with some Shakespearean Insult Gum the other night, which contains a different insult in each pack from Macbeth, Hamlet, Henry V, King Lear, Romeo & Juliet, Othello, and Richard III. I received this fabulous poster for my classroom that is filled with phrases coined by Shakespeare in the mail just this past week, and finally, I treated myself to this Shakespeare action figure from BookPeople here in Austin. Do I need it? No. But it was just too good to pass up!

Lululemon Fly Away Tamer Headbands

If you guys haven't figured it out by now, I love to workout. Or more accurately, I love the feeling I get after a good workout. And there is nothing worse than having your hair get in your face in the middle of said workout, which is why I rely on headbands to tame my somewhat unruly curly hair. I have a fairly small head, and many headbands won't stay put on my head. Lululemon Fly Away Tamer Headbands, along with these Nike and Under Armour Mini headbands, are about the only headbands I have found that manage to do their job.

Should I even admit that I have more of these headbands than this?

25 Movies From the 90s That Taught Us Life's Most Important Lessons

You guys know by now that BuzzFeed is one of my guilty pleasures. I should probably be ashamed to admit that I can easily get sucked into reading article after article for over an hour. Some of them are dumb, some of them are interesting, and some of them bring back sweet memories. This was one of those articles, and though I haven't seen every movie on this list, I have seen quite a few of them, and I loved being reminded that there is always more to something than what is on the surface.

The Sandlot (Source)

Castle Hill Graffiti

As I mentioned yesterday, I decided to get a little bit more specific with my goal of seeing all of the Austin Murals that I wrote down on my Summer 2014 To-Do List. Castle Hill - also known as the Hope Outdoor Gallery - was one of the items on my sublist, and Hanna and I crossed that one off just the other night. We vowed to come back before the end of the summer with our own bottle of spray paint, but for the time being, we enjoyed admiring what was currently on this constantly changing educational art project.

And with that, I'm off to begin my Fourth of July. I have lots of fun on the agenda, so I will certainly be back with a full report. Have a GREAT (and safe) holiday weekend!