Moving on

They say change isn't easy, and I would definitely agree. Nonetheless, change can bring about a wonderful opportunity to think and to reflect. That's where I am today.

Two and a half years ago, I graduated college, started a new job, and got married... all within a week! I still have the college diploma, and Greg and I are doing great, but it's time to move on to a new job. It's a bittersweet transition, but I hope it will be the right one.

People told me I was crazy for taking the job I did. I replaced a legendary teacher who had tragically passed away mid-year. He had taught at the same school for 28 years. I hadn't even been out of college 28 days! Sure, the first few months were rough, but I survived, and I adamantly believe I'm a better teacher for it.

There have been ups and downs throughout the time I've been at Bellevue, but I can honestly say that I'm thankful for the opportunity I've had to meet incredible students and parents. I'm blessed to have started my career when and where I did. I look forward to using the experiences I've gained as I shift gears and start a new part of my career.

Toward the end of the school year, my juniors and seniors read the book Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. (If you're not familiar with the book, it's one that will change your life. Check out the website here.) At the same time, senior English students were reading Tuesdays with Morrie. I approached the English teachers to do a collaborative project, since the themes of the books were very similar. The result was a day of "life lessons." We invited in guest speakers to share life lessons with the students. Around the room, we hung up posters that the students made with information about themselves and lessons that they had gained from reading the book. One component they had to include on their posters was five tribute poems to teachers that had taught them something about themselves. I was honored to be included on some of the posters. It made the past two and half years worth the sweat, tears, and frustration I experienced from time to time. Here are some of the poems the students wrote that either made me smile or cry:

As I start a new job this school year, I will cherish the opportunities I've had professionally in the last two and a half years. I will carry those with me as I meet a new group of students and attempt to impact their lives', just as my kiddos at Bellevue have impacted mine.

Resonating thoughts

Today, we visited Greg's grandpa in Alliance. Since he lives about two and a half hours away, we don't get out to see him as much as we'd like. I always enjoy visiting, nonetheless, because he's a pretty smart guy. I love hearing him recount stories (some times the same ones over and over again!), and he always seems to make me think. Here's a picture of Bob with Greg at our wedding:

Somehow today we got on the topic of the public's perception of agriculture. Bob is a dairy farmer and has been all of his life (except when he served the U.S. in the Korean War.) Leading up to this conversation, Bob was sharing how growing up in the 30s, there wasn't much extravagance around. People had what they needed, and that was about it. As we talked about today and about how people don't understand agriculture, he said something that has stuck with me: "The problem is, people today have never been hungry long enough to think about where their food really comes from."

It took me a second to really grasp this concept, but after I did, I realized how true it really was. In the United States, we have the cheapest and most abundant food supply of any developed nation. For the most part, the bulk of our country never has to worry about where our next meal is coming from. (Don't get me wrong, I know that hunger is an issue in the U.S. and that there is a chunk of our population that doesn't have access to a safe and reliable food supply.) It is no wonder that people don't appreciate agriculture; as long as the food is available at the grocery store, they never have to think about the farmer that sacrificed to grow the product.

Contrast that thought with people in developing nations. Here is a family our group met when I studied abroad in Uganda.

You better believe that these people understand agriculture. They may not be sure where their next meal is coming from, but they know that in order to eat, someone must work hard in the fields, probably themselves. They are connected to agriculture on a personal basis.

We have so many blessings living in the United States, but how much do we take for granted? Just like Bob said, people don't appreciate agriculture, because they've never been hungry. We could continue and say that people don't appreciate people working in car factories, because they've never been without a vehicle. Maybe they don't appreciate warm clothes, because they've never had to spend a night on the street. The generalizations could continue. At the end of the day, though, I know I'm counted in the "theys." How much do I take for granted, because I've never had to do without? And more pointedly, how do I express appreciation for what I've been blessed with?

Wise words from Dr. James Dobson

In the process of organizing my life and sorting through papers on my desk, I found this paragraph:

"When I reach the end of my days, a moment or two from now, I must look back on something more meaningful than the pursuit of houses and land and machines and stocks and bonds. Nor is fame of lasting benefit. I consider my earthly existence to have been wasted unless I can recall.... A loving family... A consistent investment in the lives of people... An earnest attempt to serve the God who made me. And there's no better time than now to assess the values which are worthy of my time and effort."

What a great reminder of our purpose on Earth. It's not to pursue fame and fortune; it's simply to live well and serve others.

The sewing machine is not to be feared.

Greg and I bought a camper the summer after we were married. It's not a fancy thing, but it's not a hell hole, either. We've used it several times, mostly at the pond in the woods at the farm, but we've taken her out in public, too. Here's a picture:

Shortly after we bought the camper, I decided that it could be cheaply and easily spruced up by adding some curtains. I could buy the fabric, sit down at the sewing machine, and voila! So, I measured the windows and picked out some fabric. Then, I remembered: I'm afraid to sew.

Well, maybe "afraid" is a strong word. Generally speaking, I don't like to do things I'm not good at, and sewing fits into that category. It all started when I was nine years old. Years, from now, when I'm in therapy, I'll blame 4-H. You see, my mom is a fantastic seamstress. So wonderful, she makes it look easy. I signed up for my first 4-H sewing project, and I was confident that I would quickly mimic her abilities. I was wrong.

Year after year, I signed up for sewing projects, and I never quite got the knack of it. Those projects inflicted much trauma. I don't think it was so much that I couldn't sew; it was more that I didn't like the deadline or constraints of a project. The final straw, and the end of my 4-H sewing career, was when I was sewing buttons on pajamas as my mom drove me to judging. Then and there she declared, "You're not taking a sewing project next year."

Fast forward nearly 10 years, and the fabric for my curtains that I bought a year and half ago, was still sitting untouched. I knew I had to do something. Since Greg and I do not have our own sewing machine, he brought home his mom's one day. (To add to my emotional complex, Greg can sew. He's not going to win any blue ribbons, but he sews more than I do, patching his chore clothes and such.) It sat on the dining room table taunting me for weeks. Finally, this week when we had a snow day, I decided I was going to do it.

I started timidly at first, but I gained power with each stitch. I realized that I am what I call a functional seamstress. My creations might not win awards, but they get the job done. I actually had quite a bit of fun, and it was even a bit relaxing. With each curtain that I sewed, more and more of my mom's lessons came back.

So I how did I do? Here are before and after pictures of our camper's kitchen window. The curtains definitely jazz the place up. I was so inspired by the project that we've decided to buy a sewing machine. I might get the hang of it yet.

Snow Days

Snow days don't have quite the same appeal as a teacher as they did as a student, or at least as an ag teacher with 50 things to get done this week! Having an inservice Monday and twosnowdays has thrown a wrench in the schedule, but alas, I am enjoying being home and getting lots of projects done around the house. Look for a future blog on my adventures with the sewing machine. Today, though, I want to share with you some goodies I whipped up in the kitchen.

I love cooking and baking. I don't take nearly enough time to do, and I'm never quite as adventurous as I should be, but nonetheless, I like spending time in the kitchen. I can't say enough good things about Pampered Chef products and how easy they make my life. Today's recipe was a Pampered Chef creation, as a matter of fact, and I used tons of their products to make it. If you're not using P.C., check it out!

Mini Carrot Cake Cups

• 1 pkg (9 oz) yellow cake mix
• 1 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, divided
• 6 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup thawed frozen whipped topping
• Chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray each well of a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

For cups, combine cake mix, allspice, egg, and oil. Stir until ingredients are moistened. (Mixture will be thick.) Grate carrots and stir 3/4 of a cup into the batter; set aside remaining carrots for garnish. Divide batter evenly among wells, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 11-13 minutes or until the cups feel firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, whisk together cream cheese and sugar until smooth; fold in whipped topping. Spoon cream cheese mixture into a resealable plastic bag; secure bag and set aside.

Remove pan from oven and set on cooling rack. Press tops of cups with a ligh

tly floured mini-tart shaper to make slight indentations. Cool in pan 3 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan; cool 5 minutes. Trim corner of cream cheese-filled bag; pipe filling evenly into cups. Garnish with chopped walnuts and reserved grated carrots, if desired.

My notes:

• Most cake mix packages are 18.5 oz. I used the full package and doubled all of the other ingredients.
• Pampered Chef has awesome Cinnamon Crunch Sprinkle. I substituted that for the allspice.
• Usually when I make carrot cake, I use my food processor to grate the carrots. This time I cheated and bought pre-grated carrots for the first time. They were big. The next time, I'll go back to using the food processor.

Here's the process:

Ingredients mixed. Note that the mixture will be thick.

I may have over-filled the mini-muffin pan. Try to stick to the 2/3 full that the recipe suggests.

Using the mini-tart shaper to make indentations. If you don't have a tart shaper, a spoon would also work.

Finished product, garnished with walnuts.