ummm

So "U" is a hard letter to write on. I thought "unbelievable" or "unimaginable" or something else along these lines, but didn't have much to write about under these titles. So here are some rand"umm"s that I've been thinking about lately:

- Last night after supper Brent and I sat at the table for awhile and talked. We do this a lot, whether it's 15 minutes or 30 or more. I realize how much I really enjoy these times with him.

- I have a friend who has been married about 6 years and Brent and I stayed with her and her husband not too long ago. While we were there we somehow began discussing nightly routines. She said that there are probably only 4 or 5 nights A YEAR that her and her husband go to bed at the same time. Brent and I were surprised, because it is a rare occassion if we don't crawl in and crash at the same time. I don't know if these happens with time, if it's just a personality thing, or if it's just a difference in schedules. Last night we broke this cycle as Brent stayed up and baked cookies and watched the Lakers vs. Denver game.

- I don't know if any of you are American Idol fans. Personally, I've only half way watched this season. The main reason I haven't watched it very much is because Adam Lambert. Does he have a good voice? Yes. Is he talented? Yes. Does he need to stick out his tongue when he sings and paint his fingernails black and wear eyeliner and leather pants? No. He is now in the final two with a guy named Kris Allen. Kris, who is a youth group worship leader, is everything Adam is not. It will be interesting to see America vote on this; to see who they think is "Idol" worthy.

- It has been so awesome outside lately. I don't know why, but every year I am just in awe of spring and summer when they come. Isn't it amazing how easily we forget their beauty when we were stuck in the grey of winter? (Sounds like a metaphor for life).

- What is up with the word grey? Is it "grey" or "gray"? Does it even matter? Is it one of those british words?

- The other day I let my students take home their prized Writer's Notebooks. They had invested so much time into these things and so I wanted to do one final writing activity with them before releasing them to their care. So I had them look back at all of their entries and reflect on their growth as a writer. And then I asked them to turn to a fresh page and write, "This year I became a writer. I became a writer because..." and had them finish that sentence. I was amazed at the poetry that came from them but more than that I was amazed that not a single one of my 115 students said, "But I don't think I've become a writer...I don't know how to finish this sentence?!" I had one girl write, "I became a writer because I found that it is my destiny." Another kid, who at any given moment this year was in the process of driving me crazy, wrote, "I became a writer because my 5th block language arts teacher kept pushing me and pushing, and I want to thank her."

- It's incredible how quickly my summer is already filling up. I don't necessarily like this because I know it will make it go incredibly quick.

- Brent is in the process of applying for a job and it is looking somewhat promising. I don't want to count our chickens yet, but please keep this possibility in your prayers.

- Enough rand"umms" for you today? It will have to be. I'm done.