It's Moments Like That Remind Me of Why I'm a Teacher

Three ago this young man was a freshman in my Fitness for Life Class at Lingnore High.


Before you watch the video on this awesome kid, read below...

Sometimes you doubt your career choices.  I know every teacher, at least, has been here at one point.  One class walks out your door & you sit down for a minute & wonder how you're going to make it through the next class (let alone the rest of the day or week) without completely flipping out.  You're so tired of the disrepect, the back-talk, the parents who curse you out because it's somehow your fault their kid doesn't behave in your class, & all the other multiple problems that turn up each day.  Those of you who know me well have heard a story or two...if you haven't, I'll gladly share one that will drop your jaw or have you rolling on the floor laughing.

But then that certain kid walks through the door & you realize that you teach for kids like this.  The ones that write you letters during Teacher Appreciation Week talking about how much they love you & their class, the ones that come walk in beaming each day & make you smile just because they are, the ones that give you hugs & say thanks, the ones that have so much going against them in life & still choose to not let that limit their future & possibilities...they put on their game face & go.

I have the privelige of meeting & teaching kids like this everyday.  Yes, the difficult ones are sprinkled in their classes, too, but it's a wonderful kid like this one that God uses to remind you that there is a reason that He led you into teaching & why you keep showing up to work each morning.  Sometimes, it's not you as the teacher who makes a difference in your student's life, it's vice versa...& with kid's like this one, you just feel so thankful to have met them & even more thankful that they got put in your class.

Everyday that Tyler DeVries walked into my class with his twin brother, Kevin (also an amazing kid), he gave 100%.  I can't tell you how many of the thousands of students that I have had in my five years of teaching I can actually say that about, but it's only a handful.  During Fitness Testing every few weeks, this kid ran the mile in under 10 minutes...& beat the tail out of half of the rest of the class!  Each time I would tell him that he didn't need to run all four laps & he would say that he just wanted to beat his last time.  Not only did he always try his hardest, he is SUCH a nice kid!  He & his twin brother were two of the most cordial & respectful students that Matt & I have every had (Matt taught them when they were in middle schoo).  See below for how extra amazing this kid is...


http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?storyID=101710

Fat Tuesday :)

why is Matthew smiling?

It's FAT Tuesday!

which means homemade donuts...yummmyyy  :)

YAY for more baking due to another Snow Day tomorrow!

The City Plows Have Been Through Our Street ONCE during the Snopocalypse!

This...

is why we have no school tomorrow...

& why we might not have it for the rest of the week.

I think the City of Fred-neck forgot it's loyal, tax-paying citizens...

& if that's what will make us not have a lot of school this week...

I'll be a very happy camper  :)

Before, During, & After...Aslan's Story

Snopocalypse '10

Because it's a Re-Run of "The Office" this Week...

...& also because it's funny...

Say Hi to Your Mother for me...

Here's a mid-week laugh for you...

LOVE it!

In case you haven't seen it in your mailbox...here's the first ever Fohner Family Christmas Card!

It only took us until our 5th Married Christmas to actually send one out :)

Even though we have about 10 months until we start seeing Christmas advertisements/decorations again, I thought I'd give you a little something to hold you over...MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

10 Things to do in '10

I saw a to-do list like this on a friend's blog & got motivated to make one myself...

Here are 10 things I would like to accomplish this year (in no particular order)...

10. Go on a nice vacation together that requires flying somewhere

9. Start our family

8. Take Aslan on more walks

7. Organize our house so that our junk room can actually be used for something besides storing things I haven't found a place for yet

6. Keep our house organized

5. Be more consistent with writing in my journals

4. Memorize more scripture

3. Bribe family or friends into running another race with me

2. Spend more time with family & find more ways to let them know how much I love them

1. Read my Bible everyday

Week 1 of 2010 down...51 more to go. I better hop to it :)

A New Year is in Store...

Don't know about you all, but the Fohner Fam had an awesome Christmas & we are ready to ring in this new decade.

We're absolutely thrilled for all that it brings :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Blizzard '09

Check out my Facebook Page for videos & more pics of the snow here in Fred-neck...it's craziness!

Yeah right, global warming...God's got it in control :)

Go Elf Yourself

A Christmas card from us...try not to laugh, I don't think it's possible though :)

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Song of Songs 2:10 & Ecclesiastes 4:12

when your husband comes home with a huge smile...

a sweet hug...

holding a dozen of these...

you're reminded that it's okay...

that you have each other...

& even better than that...

you both have Someone to lean on...

Someone you both can turn to...

together...

& by turning to Him together it all makes sense in due time...

& you both learn that His timing makes more sense than your own timing ever will...

& you take extreme comfort & rest in that :)

SURPRISE!

after months of planning...the SURPRISE party went off without a hitch (well, almost...I accidentally deleted over 200 pics of Matthew that I had spent hours scanning into my computer for a slideshow less than 48 hours before, but other than that...the day was AMAZING)!

We had a blast celebrating Matthew's 30th B-Day with family & our Fred-neckian friends :)

Seriously, we are two super blessed peeps!

Check out Facebook for the rest of the pics :)

Somebody's 30 Today ;)

this guy :)

Ok, I'm done embarrassing him...

maybe not...sorry, babe :)

okay, here he is...celebrating his big 3-0 with the coolest dog ever

which I tried (unsuccessfully to have us symbolize with our hands)...

....somebody wouldn't cooperate & kept changing his fingers from a "0" to other numbers...I won't mention any names or anything. I'm just saying...

Happy 30th Birthday, you big goof...love you :)

7 years ago today...

I met this dude...

& life has never, ever been the same...

in a VERY good way :)

Last Saturday...

...Team Bateman ran the Under Armour Baltimore Marathon Team Relay :)

the little bro's, myself, & Thew had a blast (surprisingly) running 26.2 miles in 3 hours & 50 minutes. It was such a cool experience & one that we're all definitely on board for doing again next year.

Date Night: Carving Pumpkins Style

In the busyness that can be life, prioritizing time for each other can be challenging, but sooo needed. There are few things I can think of that I love more than just hanging out & enjoying our time together, especially on a school night when fun memories from those date nights help get me through the rest of the school week :)

So tonight, Thew decided that it's time he break out the pumpkin carving kit that he's estimated he's had for about 10 years & put it to good use (we always have such good intensions, don't we?).

Halloween is always a fun time for us since this October 31st we'll celebrate the first time we met, 7 years to the day.

In memory of college, we threw "Signs" into the DVD Player & got to work carving :)

beginning my masterpiece...

we carved out all the seeds so that I can bake them tomorrow for my fav girls in my Bible Study. Love the fun memories of baking buttery, salty pumpkin seeds with my parents & little bro's growing up :)

Thew showing off before he starts carving...while giving the camera "mountain eye" (don't ask)...

right before I start carving...this cool kit had you dot the outline before you actually started carving...

finished products :)

now let's hope these things last till Halloween...we'll see. If not, we can always have another competition ;)

Just Because...

...she's cute :)

I Think...

...that 27 is going to be a great year :)

What a nice weekend celebrating with family & friends...I am truly blessed!