The 5 Things I've Learned:Thank you, Oprah!

In honor of Oprah's last week of shows, I decided to compile a list the 5 things that I learned from Oprah. 


I admit that in the last few years, I've not been the avid viewer that I once was while a young mother and teacher. Though, I can remember seeing her on TV as far back as third grade. 
I never really took the time to sit and listen to her show until I was an eighteen year old college student sitting in my dorm alone while reflecting back on my childhood and dreaming of my future. 


I listened intently when she had Dr. Phil on discussing relationships and saying "What are YOU getting out of that behavior? If you weren't getting something out of it, you wouldn't keep doing it." (you know, in that Texas-dr-phil voice every comedian loves to hate on)


I read the books of Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Jacquelyn Mitchard. I had never felt more empowered, more knowledgeable and more sad while reading the words of each of these wonderful authors. 


Maya Angelou taught me to hold my head up high no matter what my past said, Toni Morrison taught me how to light up when I see my children, and Jacquelyn Mitchard took me back to a dark place of loss that I had been pushing aside for a long time. 


I listened to the real heart-breaking and inspiring  stories of Mattie and Jeni Stepanek (who I know follow on twitter) & Joanne Compton. 


I identified with so many of the stories told by real people and began a transformation of my own as I watched, listened and made time everyday at 4 pm to watch Oprah. (This was before Tivo, mind you.) 


Oprah was there when I got married, had two babies, got divorced, remarried, and had another baby. Though it all looks so simple in writing, it was not and I remembered much of what I'd learned from the people on her show to get me through. 


She was there to remind me to take time for me, to face those things about myself that needed changing, to show me how to celebrate life and how to come out on the other side of the pain. 


She was there as I learned what a "dream board" was and how powerful it can be: I really did meet Harry Connick, Jr, became the subject of a book, was honored by an extraordinary "Freedom Writer,"  and began intently working on finishing my book. (all of which I posted on my board BEFORE it happened.)


And though, I never made it to her show, I  still became the best version of me that I'd ever been despite any of those obstacles or mistakes. 

The 5 things I've learned: Thank you, Oprah! 


1. All pain is the same. Sometimes our ego gets in the way and makes us believe that our pain is worse than the person next to us. It's not. Pain is pain no matter how it comes about. 


2. When you know better, you do better. If we do not know any different, then we continually do the same thing over and over. Knowing is half the battle. 


3. No matter what you've endured in the past, you have the ability to change your future. We all can point to a time of tragedy or misfortune, but it's our choice to sit in it forever or get up, acknowledge it and move on. 


4. You teach people who you are and how to treat you. You do whether you are conscious of it or not. If you allow them to walk over you, if you avoid setting up boundaries b/c of being afraid to "hurt feelings," or if you continue living like you do not deserve the best, the cycles will continue. Best to be conscious  and avoid a world of heartache down the road. 


5. Gratitude in the moment of despair will change your life forever.  If you didn't already know about my 40 days of Thankfulness  or my 365 days of Gratitude challenge, please visit the links and think about challenging yourself. If I had my book finished, you'd be able to read about just how non-perfect life has been and also see that no matter what, I've always had a heart of gratitude for what I do have. This habit has helped me in good and bad times to remember what's most important and pass it on to those around me. 


When one person can make an impact as big as she has on our world, pass on so much of her life, her fortune, and her wisdom to others - this is living your life to the fullest.


And a HUGE shoutout to my FABULOUS friend, Christina, who'll be attending a taping THIS WEEK! :) 

Did Teachers Impact You?

I've covered this topic before but in a much lighter tone. I'm sure you've all had a teacher impact your life in some positive way. 


Unless you've been living under a rock in a deep, dark hole, you know that there is a education crisis in our nation. 


Budgets are getting cut, teachers are being laid off, and some schools are closing. Is this not at the great expense of our students? Our own children? These acts, I'm confident, will cause more issues for our future besides finances. 


I know that had I not had some teachers and school employees in my own life, I would've taken a much darker path than I have. Thanks going out to Mrs. Elam, Mrs. Turner, Mr. Cates, Ms. Terrie Hawkins, Mr. Hindman, and Mrs. Wrenn. 


Had they not influenced me, I would not had the opportunity to influence my own group of students later in life. 


As I stay connected with fellow teachers and technology education guru's, I see the same thing happening over and over. Some of my closest friends are being affected by this decision from legislators. 


I would like to share with you just one friend's account of her experience. 


Please click over to her blog and read Andrea's experience with recent teacher cuts. 


She writes very candidly and her suggestion of writing an email right now to a teacher you know encouraging them in their journey to educate our kids despite all of the turmoil will be HUGE. 


Are you wiling to take a few minutes out of your day and choose a teacher to encourage with a few words of thanks and appreciation? 

iDream

Why, yes, it's been over 2 months since I've blogged. A lot has been going on since then, including a dream. 


I've been working at the High School working to implement more technology, teach my teachers new and exciting ways to engage students in their class, and learning more myself about technology, students, teachers, and the direction for students in a typical classroom. 


Some days I don't stop. No lunch, no bathroom breaks, not a lot of anything except technology. I have to say it is heaven despite the stress. Not to mention the fact that I get great opportunities to learn new things from new people. 


The stress and pure exhaustion is the reason my fingers have not found the keyboard and my blog site. (Plus being mommy to 3 and wife)


I've decided to write about it instead of avoiding discussing it! :) If you get bored, that's fine - just be sure to scroll to the bottom before closing this window! 


So, the first month was hectic. This is the first school to have a full time "me." (instructional technologist) So, on top of making sure my teachers know basic technology knowledge, I also meet with the technology team about upcoming changes or obstacles. I order new devices and make sure that we have trainers available. I work to schedule professional development and recruit speakers to come talk "technology." 


I've also had the opportunity to go to TCEA (Computer Education Conference) in Austin and hang with some pretty smart, cool people. It was at this conference that I began my new twitter account @txtechchick and found a whole new world. It's like being at a professional development conference every minute of every day. It can consume a person, no doubt. Please feel free to follow me for some great educational apps, Apple news, Web 2.0 tools, and much more!  


I attended an Apple Learning seminar where Apple associates model how to use their devices, computers, and applications in a real world classroom setting. 


I went to a HS in Decatur to see how they have been implementing and rolling out a 1:1 (1 laptop to 1 student). We have most everything in place now to be able to do this if we so chose. It was one of my favorite learning opportunities! I loved seeing the students engaged and the teacher not being afraid to try something new! 


I've also sat in on a textbook adoption meeting. Interestingly enough, many textbook companies realize that our students are digital natives and are making their books, writing, and grammar materials accessible online. Imagine having your textbooks on your computer or iPad! 


As I've weeded through thousands of sites, ideas, thoughts, I've definitely become inspired. I watch my own children grow and learn and watch their ease and ability to use a cell phone, a laptop, and iPad, an iPod or any other electronic device that connects them to the world. 


They definitely learn differently than we did. Their expectations are much different than ours. 

I've had the chance to interact with kids from preK-12 since 2008 and the more I talk with them the more I hear of how they want/need to learn. I made this video for my teachers based on a survey taken of a HS class and their answers to the question "How do you learn best?" 




Another student said it best: 'The minute we walk into school they expect us to come in and turn off our lives. And the first thing we do the minute school is out? Turn them back on. We are digital and live digital lives. We have to go back in time to go to school." 


And I heard a teacher once say " As a teacher it is very hard to change your learning style, but if we are not willing to come into [their] world and teach how they learn, we don't need to walk into those school doors each morning." 


As you can tell, this is my passion (one of them). So on a whim one day, I ended up at Brainpop.com and saw that they had a contest. The contest was to write a 400 word blog about mobile learning and how it might change students and teachers' experiences. 


So, I decided to enter immediately since the prize was a trip to the VERY same conference I'd just asked to attend in AZ. :) 


In about 30 minutes, this is what I came up with: 

iDream

i have a dream that one day our schools will rise up and live out the true meaning

of its mission: ". . . seeks to promote student achievement and preparation for

global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal

access." (US Department of Education 2010)

i have a dream that one day, every day, every student will have the ability to own

or use a mobile device and work together to create music, books, movies, websites,

and presentations that will change how the world thinks, evolves and engages as a

people.

i have a dream that one day even the teachers realize the power lies in the tiny

device they call “evil” or “distracting” and will open their minds and hearts to the

possibility that those tiny devices could be the turning point for a student “left

behind” or a student who isn’t meeting state, college, or career standards.

i have a dream that my three little children will one day go to a school where they

will begin their morning using a mobile device, continue learning on the device in

the afternoon, and beg to stay up late using their device to learn more, create

device that is small enough to fit in their school bag.

iDream today!

i have a dream that one day, every child will have their textbook at their fingertips,

their school books on a virtual shelf, the ability to take and email their notes at a

whim, the chance to interact, touch, and engage with the words they are reading.

iDream today!

i have a dream that one day every student shall be excited, and every teacher and

class shall teach and seek more knowledge than expected in order to prepare

students for the world outside of the four walls of their classroom.

Yes, I did model it after a very famous speech and surprisingly I WON! :) I was one of the 5 winners chosen. My blog will be featured on brainpop.com the week of April 4th AND will be presented live at the conference in AZ later that week. 


So, blog friends - this is what I've been up to since my last entry. 
So much to do, so much to see, so much to learn, so little time. . . 
Don't be afraid to DREAM. 

Books Can Shape Your Life

The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.  
~James Bryce


I love it when my blog readers actually request that I write about something! It takes the pressure off or coming up with my own topic! :) (Thank you anonymous requester!) 


I got a surprise email this morning that said this: 


"I would love to know your top ten list of books that inspired you or somehow made a difference in your life. I'm sure other people would love to know to, hopefully help inspire them."


Wow. What a great request. Ironically, right after reading this I was packing up boxes for my new office and ran across a ton of books that I've collected through college and teaching HS. 


So, in no particular order I will list the books that have impacted me, inspired me, and shaped me to be who I am today. My hope is that I can share all of these books with my children someday and that the stories will tug at their hearts just as they did mine. 


1. Are You There God? It's Me Margaret.  - Judy Blume
I recall being in 4th or 5th grade when I first read this book. Blume's candidness about pre-teen girls was something that I craved yet didn't know I did. This is where I learned a lot about a life that I didn't know yet. I've already shared this jewel read with my own 10 year old and she loved it just as much! 


2. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
I knew from a young age that I had a unique love for reading. I knew that I enjoyed literature and if I could've taken English and only concentrated on the literature portion, I would've been in heaven. Sophomore year was in my first honors class and can still to this day envision Mr. Chappell reading to us and with us. His love of literature and this book, make ME love the story of two men down on their luck. Years later, I found myself actually getting to teach this book to my own sophomore class. :) 


3. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Freshman year. I fell in love with the story about a young girl, Scout, and her brother, Jem. I got caught up in their mischief, curiosity and lessons about life. I dove into this story and didn't come out until I was finished. The movie is just as good and is definitely something everyone should see or read in their lifetime. 


4. Our Town - Thornton Wilder
Another HS favorite. I truly related to Emily and her young perspective on life and not taking anything for granted. After losing my brother at a young age, I'd already learned this lesson, but this story was a reinforcement of that lesson and it hit me hard. A few years after reading it, I was an "extra" for the school production and still have great memories of those rehearsals. 


5. Conversations with God - Neale Donald Walsch
This is one of my favorite books because it goes against a lot of what I was taught. I like to read - everything. Even if people that were friends or family would have harsh things to say about what this book contained. I read all three volumes in a matter of days and came up grasping for more. It made me think outside of that "this is what's normal to believe" box. 


6. The Purpose Driven Life -  Rick Warren
Everyone and everyone should read this 40 days of finding your purpose. I read it alone, with someone, and then volunteered to be the leader of a group study. It touched my heart that much. It helped me think through many of the trials and struggles in my life and make peace with them. 


7. Simple Abundance -Sara Ban Breathnach
I'm doing a 365 brief study of this book now (find it here). It is my second time to go through the book in the last 10 years. It forces you to really take a look at yourself, your likes, dislikes, beliefs, dreams, and priorities. The main thought is gratitude. You keep a gratitude journal, create a "dream" board, and do numerous other challenges as you discover the you that is not mom/wife. A must read for all women. 


8. Love Dare -  Kendrick & Kendrick
The idea stemmed from the book and movie Fireproof.  If you haven't read or seen either - do. it. now. I don't care if you're married or single. You must take time to watch this. Jason and I have done a version of it and honestly nothing but good can come out of you trying it at least once. 


9. A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
Another controversial (in organized religion community) book. I reaped HUGE benefits from reading this book. It took me to a whole different realm of living, breathing, and being. It also, healed wounds and brought me to a better realization of different situations I've experienced in life. I keep it in my car, even now, to do a quick read while waiting to pick up kids, if I'm having a rough day, or just need a new perspective. 


10. The Shack - William P. Young
There are no words. Really. I avoided this book like the plague b/c I knew a little of what the story line was. But, alas, just as God did with When God Winks, He put that book directly in my path over and over and over until I gave in and read. I couldn't stop. I read and read and read. I had no idea how it would take me on such a raw emotional journey. I didn't anticipate the sobs and deep hurt. I also didn't anticipate the healing and the understanding I would have at the end. 

Celebrate!

After taking a much needed break from work and the world, I'm back! 


I don't know about you, but it's always good to get away from the grind and take some time sleeping in, playing video games, going out whenever I want, getting dressed or not. 


And here's a little secret: I only put makeup on 3 days out of the 2 weeks I was on vacation. :) 


I took a hiatus from my 365 Days of Gratitude blog as well. It may be ironic, but I think taking breaks from some of our commitments is a huge step in learning to live simply. 
___________________________


Today as I listened to the church message I thought a lot about the topic: "celebration." 


Most holidays we are mindful of our blessings and of celebrating and do so in style. 


But then what? What happens after that post holiday euphoric letdown? 


This. Find something to celebrate everyday. 


I gotta feelin' that if you set your mind to celebrate something everyday, you will! 



____________________________


sleeping in
the smell of coffee in the morning
the sun shining through the window
the fire crackling in the fireplace
watching my girls play together
listening to baby J giggle at something simple
feeling a snuggie while watching a movie
reading the words of my girl after church
looking at my favorite lamp and how it lights the room
working out with Jason
laughing at 3 AM 
loving where I am in this life
the anxiety of starting something new
being still
the feeling and smell of homemade peppermint sugar scrub
being caught up on laundry, dishes or other chores
discovering a new workout
eating blackeyed, peas, cornbread, salad, and lamp chops for the New Year
learning that someone else joined 365 Days of Gratitude - to my surprise
Waking up knowing that it's a new day with new possibilities and challenges
_______________________________


Find ways to celebrate what's happening in your own life. It doesn't have to be a special occasion to make a cake, wear diamond earrings, or use the nice plates. 


Celebrate your moments! 2011 will be full of them even in times of struggle and despair, just open your eyes! 

Stop. Simply. Be.

I do not believe in something without trying it myself. I began 40 Days of Thankfulness, asked people to join and continued doing it with them. 


I started 365 Days of Gratitude and am now on day 35. I did not think I would be able to keep that commitment at all. But now with 200 members in that group, a new blog site dedicated to it, and a new challenge to go along with our gratitudes, the idea is spreading. 


So the idea of Gratitude and Simplicity is in my head every minute of every day. Even in the sad moments, stressful moments, and moments of unexpected change. 


As I spend the day sitting with Jace, holding him, playing with him, feeding him, I'm reminded how fast my time with him is in this moment. This day my oldest turns 10. Just yesterday she was the same age and I was watching her try to crawl. 


So, I try at least once a day to stop and do something silly with my kids. We all need to take a break from being an adult for a few hours. Reading books, watching Justin Bieber videos, playing the Wii to WIN, making cupcakes or cookies, making a snowman or s'mores. . . .


The people you hold dear and near will thank you for it. 


In the chaos and craziness of the season, please, please, please stop. Take a simple moment to do a simple thing. In the simplicity we find authenticity, love and gratitude. 

My birthday gift to YOU!

Yes, friends. Today I turn 34. It's actually quite difficult to fathom that I've spent 34 years on this earth. Wow. #gratitude

To those middle school kids last week, I seem old. To those kindergartners, I seem ancient. To those mentors, I seem young. To my parents, I still am a baby. :) 

Age is all in your perspective. How you see it, is how it will be. 

If you've followed this blog for any significant amount of time you know things things to be true about your writer: 

1. Live simply. 

2. Love in all things.

3. Gratitude is the key to being able to breathe through your life. Being grateful doesn't mean life is perfect, it just means overlooking the "blech" parts and finding the "ahhhh" parts. 

4. Find simple things to pamper yourself and rejuvenate your day. 

5. Music speaks to my soul every day. It supports my emotion no matter what it is and gives me hope. It reminds me of love. It encourages me to dance. It bonds me and my children, my and my husband. I love every kind of music you can think of and jazz is one of my favorite things to listen to while sipping on some great wine! 

I could not live without any of these things. I would be miserable without them. 

So, for my birthday I'm giving YOU a present. 

1. Here is a great holiday tradition to start with your family at any time! You can readjust it to 10 days, 5 days. Remember that kids love simple things just as much as you do! 

2. A great friend (JL) has offered to giveaway one of her products! I've chosen to giveaway something to pamper your body!  You'll love it and it will force you to pamper that skin! 

3. A great musician agreed to giveaway his CD. Jonny Blu will send an autographed CD to you! 

So - the rules. 

Be a follower. 

Comment one thing you did to enjoy life today! 

You only have until 12 AM December 7 to post and enter! I'll pick a winner for #2 and #3 and notify you! 

big love and gratitude. . .