Catch up here!
We’ve finally reached the end of my birthday month! Not everything turned out how I thought it would, but thanks for coming around for the ride!
I had a bunch of sappy things I wanted to talk about today, but I really still haven’t reigned in all of my emotions. It’ll be a few weeks before the last seven years really hits me. Until then, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite quotes and my absolute favorite song for this point in my life!
Catch up here!
I’m almost to my new home in Texas. Seriously this has been the longest trip. I just can’t with the car anymore.
My friend Emmy has taken over the reigns today.
Sometimes - you just need to get your act together.
Or at least pretend that you have it together.
I'm not an organized person. I mean... at all! If you look around my apartment, papers, odds and ends, pieces of mail, my keys, phone chargers, and everything are scattered all over the place. I'm not a slob by any means, but I'm sure there are people with OCD who would walk into my apartment and go insane. My office at work is similar.
A couple of years ago, I was preparing for a big trip with the teenagers I work with. One of the chaperones complimented me by saying "You are so organized! I'm really impressed!'
Um... what? Me? Organized? Nooooooo. Must be another short blond chick you're talking about.
But it's true. Over the years... I've learned how to be organized. I've learned how to get my stuff together, even when it's hard and I feel lazy. I've even learned how to pretend I'm organized and have my s**** done so I can reassure people everything will be okay. Because it will be.
So, no. You might not be organized or know what you're doing. But you learn, and you figure it out, even if it's not part of who you think you are.
Catch up here!
Did I mention that this is finally moving week? Yeah, it’s a blasty blast. I’m sure you want to be over here right now! I have another great Sarah to fill in today.
Meet Sar from Life of Love!
Life is so much more fun when you're enjoying yourself. I know that sounds silly because the word "fun" seems self-explanatory, but I think if you intentionally create fun in your life, the world starts being that much better. Skip in parking lots. Play catch with the limes in the grocery store. Dance if your favorite song comes on in a public place. Enjoy yourself!
I agree 100%! Sar has the coolest family. #wannabealake
Catch up here!
Hey there friends! While I’m recovering from my Ryan Lochte going away party, my sweet friend Sarah is stepping in today! Make sure you visit her!
Hi friends and readers of Rachel! My name is Sarah and I blog over at From the Desk. I'm a Canadian living in Texas by way of CA, PA, and a couple of other places. I'm married to a military man, a bit of a crazy cat lady, and currently working on my masters of social work degree at Baylor University. I recently returned from a school trip to Washington, DC, to learn about hunger in America and advocate on behalf of the nearly 50 million food insecure Americans. Rachel's prompt of "Things I've Learned" was a perfect opportunity to reflect on the trip and write a little about what I learned during those ten days in the capitol, as well as what I hope to learn moving forward. And to share with you, of course! :)
When you hear the same thing over and over, you start to notice, right? During our trip to DC what I heard over and over, was that collaboration was not only essential but the key to solving America's food insecurity problem. I heard this from faith and non-faith based organizations, the USDA, food banks and feeding sites, people that work at the capitol, and across party lines (I counted the word "collaboration" or something similar in my notes at least 18 times!).
In fact, the Texas Hunger Initiative (the organization I work for) was formed at least partly around the idea that all the many different community, state, and federal facets working to end hunger should be working together to serve the country more efficiently. Even if different groups are doing good work on their own, that good will only be stronger if people talk to one another, listen to one another, if folks came to the table to sit together, and work. At an event held at AEI, which the graduate students and a couple team leaders attended, Republican Representative from Virginia, Frank Wolf spoke about the need for Republicans and Democrats to actually come together around the idea that everyone claims to support- ending hunger in America. He said that we need to form a coalition, and get it done. This event was on a Thursday, so, getting towards the latter half of the trip, and at this point I had been hearing this collaboration message over and over. I tried to form a question, to possibly ask the panel, but I think I was trying to complicate a question that was actually quite simple: "how?"
Thanks so much Sarah!
Catch up here!
Number 7: Change up your wardrobe with some scissors!
I love creating clothes that are all my own. If I find a shirt that too small or too big, I don’t let it stop me.
If you don’t think this the best tank top, well then, you can’t sit with us!
While I was wandering around Target, I grabbed an extra small tank top to use as my fabric inserts.
Fold shirt on seams. Cut both sides together until you reach the point you’d like to stop your insert.
Cut one side of the extra shirt.
Lay shirts on top of each other. You’ll want to match the bottom edges together. Use your original tank top as your pattern.
Sorry this picture is so dark!
Cut the inserts in a triangle shape.
Now at this point you could sew the inserts into the tank top or you could use seam tape if you’re lazy, like me!
And there you have it!
Catch up here!
Number 11: My friends are absolutely the best.
They are throwing me, and I can’t stress this enough, a Ryan Lochte Themed Going Away Party.
A RYAN LOCHTE going away party.
This can only go one way… and that would be amazing!
#BallTillYouFall
Number 10: How am I going to move all of this?
This falls under the category of Things I Wish I Knew.
I mean really, folks, how am I going to move all of this jewelry?? If you have any ideas, please please help a sister out!
Number 9: I belong in Texas.
Case in point.
Not only do I group message my eight and eleven year old nieces, (Yes, 8 and 11), but they correct each other, while being in the same room with each other.
These kids are the greatest!
Catch up here!
Number 12: You may never know the impact of your influence.
If you get a chance to visit your past, take it. It’s been two years since my old school closed and over the weekend we got together for a little reunion.
These kids were part of my very first class. They were in second grade. Now they’re getting ready to walk into high school.
It was life giving for me.
To see former families. To hear that I made an impact in their families life. To know that I did a good job. To see that most of my students turned out exactly how I thought they would! That the problems we talked about in a kindergarten parent conference actually worked out for the better.
Opportunities like this don’t always happen. You may never get to hear someone say Thank You after the fact. But your influence in a person’s life, that is something that can never take away.
Catch up here!
In the last seven years I’ve moved four times. I’ve had three apartments and three classrooms. So if I know anything, moving is that thing. I tend to think I’ve got this packing/moving/unpacking business down.
Number 14: How to move and not punch yourself in the face. (Well, maybe a little punching.)
You know, to color code your boxes and stuff. Yes, I color code my moving boxes. No, I don’t have issues with OCD.
I live in Arizona, WHO NEEDS THAT MANY SCARVES??? No one, I tell ya, no one.
Funny story: When I moved the last time (two years ago) I couldn’t find some stuff that I knew I had packed. I even blamed, in my head, my friend who helped me move and the creepy movers who broke a mirror and didn’t tell me. Yesterday I was going through boxes to organize all the crap, and I found my stuff underneath some old t-shirts. That, my friends, is how not to pack.
Because I’m moving into my brother’s house for a little while, most of my stuff is going into storage. I have a plan, folks. However, I know my brother and dad will laugh at the plan and just put stuff haphazardly into the truck. I want to pretend, even for a few minutes, that I’m in control of this move.
Stop laughing.
