Growth and Decay

Let's talk about decay first, shall we?  More specifically, the steady decay of the English language.  I know that it's basically a goner because of how children choose to compliment each other/their elders these days.

I recently bought some new running shoes.  (The old ones were circa 2009.  Don't judge.)

They're cool, and I know this because my high schoolers told me so.

In as many words.

As best they could.

"Hey Miss, I like yo' kicks."  (Usually I don't respond to "Miss", which is the name for every female teacher according to every student in the school.  But I'll make an exception for 'compliments'.)

"Hey Miss, those shoes go hard."  You might be saying to yourself, "She's exaggerating.  Kids don't really talk like this."

Oh, how I wish you could come and sit in my room and observe the specimen in their natural environment.

More decay:  every tree on our property.  Remember when a tree fell victim to a thunderstorm and hit Koby's truck?  

Well, this is basically the same situation, except that it was the tree next to the last one, it was alive and not dead (green wood, leaves sprouted every where), and it fell over because of ???? at about 4:15 on a windless afternoon.  So really not the same situation at all except that we ended up with another 100+ lbs. of unusable firewood in our front yard.   Awesome.  I feel really safe carrying an infant to the car in a front yard filled with inexplicably suicidal trees.

I felt like this really needed a picture.  You're welcome.

As far as growth, I'm seeing major growth in some of my students because of a simple project they've been working on for less than a week.  (I tweeted about it awhile ago.)  I got the idea from The Memory Project, which is a program that matches advanced art students with a portrait of an orphan in a needy country somewhere in the world.  The art students create a likeness for a child who is likely lacking any items of sentimental value.  Intriguing?  Inspiring?  Right?  Only problem?  It costs $15 per student and I work at a Title I school, where $15 is probably necessary lunch money, electric bill money, food money, or nonexistent.  We could spend time writing letters for support to various philanthropists, clubs, etc... or!  I though, OR, we have a large orphanage in operation just an hour away, why don't I contact them and propose that we arrange something similar? 

It would be unfair to say that today's children aren't being taught the value of compassion and generosity, but it would be accurate to say that their absence has alarmed me since becoming a teacher.  I'm not saying all of my kids don't care about anyone but themselves because that's not true, but sometimes their actions and words startle me into thinking that they could have benefitted from a few more lessons on virtues in the kindergarten.  And so this project became sort of a vehicle for a lesson on compassion straight outta James 1:27.

And thus seven of my advanced students are working on portraits for orphans they don't know.  They were super hesitant, skeptical, and whiney at first, but they're growing.  What was an attitude of "this-is-going-to-take-forever-and-I'm-going-to-suck-at-it-and-why-are-we--even-doing-this-I-don't-want-to"has now become class periods where I am followed around by students constantly asking me "How do I do this?" or "Is this right?" or "What can I fix?" because they want the portrait of their chosen child to be just right.  And I have this sneaking feeling it's not just because they want a good grade.  One girl became angry with a boy in class and refused to talk to him for the rest of the period because he made a comment about her orphan's picture.  (In his defense, it wasn't even really rude, more of a "Who is that and why are you drawing him?" thing.)  But she furiously said "THIS IS MY ORPHAN DON'T YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HIM!" and my heart swelled.  Check our Art Department website in a few weeks and I'll have posted the finished projects.

Other growth?  Knox is a crawling machine, pulling up on things (like rocking chairs - hello, heart attack with time to take pictures) and saying "MAMA".  A few days ago he looked up right at me and said those two beautiful syllables.  Do I think he knows the association?  I don't know, but I picked him up and we had an enthusiastic "Mama", "Mama" conversation.  He also says it when he's being fed or played with, so at least he's connecting it with things he loves.

Strong boy!  What about you, what flourished or failed during your week?

InstaFriday

Well, I haven't done this in awhile.  It's time for InstaFriday... and this week, I have lots of FOOD for you.  Because that's essentially what I've been doing this past week.

Confession - this picture is actually from the week before last... but who can beat blueberry pancakes for dinner?  (As pictured: three helpings worth.)  This is what I make for myself when I'm cooking solo: Koby won't look at a plate of food unless there's a dead animal on it.

Normally I don't condone the consumption of sandwiches that are too large for the mouth, but this one was an exception.  About a year(?) ago I read this blog post written by my friend Joey, in which he sang the spicy, scrumptious praises of Sriracha sauce.  And of course, being the person about whom advertising moguls dream, I went out and bought some.  You should too.  This grilled chicken breast sandwich boasted Sriacha mayo, spinach, jalapenos, tomatoes, and gooey melted cheese.  Here's the recipe for creating your own Sriacha mayonnaise - mix the two together.  And then put it on e v e r y t h i n g.

Ok now, this is the real deal, my latest pride and joy - husband just gave it an easy 'A' after eating three chicken breasts.  And it's LEMON, which is a do-no-wrong ingredient in my opinion.  I got the recipe here from the Food Network website.  I had to sub in a few things - chicken stock for dry white wine, basil for oregano and ground thyme instead of fresh.  Oh, and I didn't have a lemon to zest so I added an extra tablespoon of lemon juice.  Did I mention I love lemon?  I am writing this recipe down for the Cocina de Andrews permanent files right now.  No, that's a lie.  The truth is I'm barely restraining myself from spooning up the rest of this lemon sauce and drinking it like sweet ambrosia.  Did I mention I love lemon?

In other news, Koby's seventh grade girls track team won first in district.  He's traveling with the Varsity girls next week to the Regional Qualifier meet.  We're counting down the days 'til summer vacation (23, did you know?) and at 9 months (to the day!) Knox weighs 21 lbs.

Follow me on Instagram: c_andrews

What'd you do this week?

Senior Moments

I've been taking lots of senior pictures the past few weeks... well, 'lots' for a girl who said "My photography business isn't quite ready yet..." Ashli is a multi-talented and strong cancer survivor who loves to smile and use her testimony to encourage others.  She is heading to UNT to study psychology.

Cassandra is a senior who I've watched grow over the past two years - this year she started a movement on campus called SELF, aiming to eliminate bullying and to encourage people to be themselves, including a few days this year where girls were supposed to 'Toss the Gloss' and come to school sans makeup.  See the shirt when I ran the 5k.

Marisela is my super-talented, bilingual advanced art student who also happens to be very intelligent.  She is the kind of student who actually goes above and beyond - the kind of student I wish I would have been in high school... and maybe college too.  I wish she was staying next year to be my assistant, but I'm proud of her as she heads to WTC to study nursing.



Visit www.paintsandpistols.com to see more of my work and for information about sessions.

The Dirty Kid at Walmart

We're all guilty of it - feelin' a little higher and mightier than the rest.  But as they say, pride cometh before the fall.  I can illustrate this sentiment with a fun story: I used to mock girls who were meticulous about shaving their toes.  How vain!  I thought.  How silly!  My notions of superiority came crashing down around me one spring day as I sat with a crush at a minor league baseball game.  As the sun glistened high above he looked at my exposed feet in their flip-flops and said, "Just how many hairs do you think you have on your big toe?"  Needless to say, we didn't date, and I began shaving my big toes.

Moms!  Let's cut ourselves some slack, and while we're at it - slack for each other.  Let's stop feeling guilty for being human and for living realistically.  We all know motherhood brings us to new, wonderful humbling experiences that always seem to involve baby poo and the lack of materials to clean up the baby poo.

DELUSIONS TO WHICH I SUBSCRIBED

1. I'll never have the dirty kid at Walmart.  Here's what actually happens: kids get messy, and sometimes you have to go out in public anyway.  Sometimes the kid gets messy on the way to Walmart.  I also said that my kid would always be well-dressed... hair combed, both socks and shoes intact.  I don't know what I was smoking.  To those of you whose children always look like Baby Gap models, I think that may just be your superpower.


2. I'll breast-feed exclusively.  This is hard: I really wish I would have been able to and it took me a long time not to feel guilty about supplementing with formula.  Some mothers have incredible problems producing enough milk - that was me.  Some moms go back to work and are unable to secure enough food - that was me.  The time came when I realized I really only had time to eat lunch OR get milk for the next day.  And today I thank God that I have the option of giving my son a healthy alternative.  Mad props to you mamas who are still breast-feeding, maybe things will go better for us the next time around.

3. Marriage doesn't have to change when baby comes.  Don't get me wrong - the entrance of Knox wasn't marked by increased fighting or strain in the Andrews household.  But suddenly the dishes we dreaded doing doubled - bottles and nipples take forever to sanitize!  The trash to be taken out suddenly included smelly diapers.  "Us" time dwindled from the norm to downright stolen moments.  Don't feel guilty taking time to yourselves - a happy marriage means happy parents, and happy parents means happy baby.  Grab a trusty babysitter, go on a date.  Skip town for a night and leave baby with your more-than-willing in-laws. 

4. My body doesn't have to change when baby comes. I've been relatively lucky because I didn't gain a ton of weight during my pregnancy and I returned to my pre-pregnancy weight a few weeks after giving birth.  But that's not to say my body didn't change - my stomach is different than it was before.  My body is different than before.  Some articles of clothing don't fit the way they used to, regardless of my weight.  In my reading, some doctors say that your body should only be 'fully' back to normal 9-12 months after giving birth.  That's a long time!  Don't feel depressed if you don't look like you did before being pregnant, or, for that matter, even like you did at 19.  (Although not looking like I did at 19 is another thing I thank God for.)  Read a somewhat helpful/somewhat snobbish article about pregnancy and fitness here.

5. I'll just ____________ while my baby naps.  People who say "Just sleep when the baby sleeps" need to be ... enthusiastically rebuffed.  Here's what actually happens: kid finally falls asleep, your brain thinks of the million things you need to do.  You finally decide to nap and by the time your mind shuts down, the baby lets out an "I'm-awake-and-not-upset-yet-but-will-be-soon" cry.  Please don't feel that you need to have a perfectly clean house.  In fact, get used to the fact that it is normal for toys and baby blankets and other infant paraphernalia to be strewn across your living room.  And when it's not those things anymore, it'll be baseball gloves, homework, shoes, ballet slippers, and backpacks.  And then when they finally graduate, if you still have the energy, you can clean your house.

6. I'll adhere to a strict feeding/sleeping schedule.  For some people this works: don't feel guilty about it.  For some people, it doesn't.  Don't feel guilty about it.  As long as you're doing what's best for your unique child in your particular family situation, who's to say you're doing it wrong?  I am the wife of a coach, which means lots of travel time for husband, and lots of night games.  Interrupting Knox's non-existent schedule has given him the ability to fall asleep in noisy situations, something for which I am exceedingly grateful.  Sometimes I get strange looks when I confess he doesn't have a 'set bedtime'... but I've learned to shrug it off.

7. People don't say idiotic things about your decision to work/stay at home.  Nope, they do.  A lot of the time people don't mean to be offensive.  And maybe it just feels offensive because we've been operating on dwindling hours of sleep.  But comments about "children being the ones who suffer" when moms go back to work generally don't go over well with moms who go back to work.  And comments about how much money a husband must earn probably make an at-home mom feel uncomfortable.  As the child of a stay-at-home mom I can assuredly tell you I was just as sociable as any other kid by the time I got to school, if not moreso.  I wasn't a brat and I knew how to share.  As the mother of a child who goes to a sitter while I go to work I can tell you that Knox delights in the company of his peers - he is already trying his darndest to catch up with them as they tear through the house.  I can see it in his eyes when he plays with his toys: I really think he wishes there was a toddler there to play with instead of a car that lights up and beeps.  Please moms, don't feel guilty about your parenting situation.  Healthy, happy, smart, and well-adjusted kids come from both settings.

8. I'm not going to let my kid watch t.v.  Alright, that might be a bit extreme.  It'd probably be more accurate to say, My kid isn't going to watch much t.v.  But there are quite a few good programs for kids to watch, and with the teensy attention span of an infant, I don't have to worry about constantly finding a new activity.  Done pulling all my scarves out of that box?  Good, the t.v.'s still on, let it distract you.  Oops, already done with that?  I think there's a new piece of dead leaf on the floor  you haven't tried to eat yet.  Hmm, now you're crying because I took the leaf away, but I think Dora singing might distract you while I can throw this chewed up leaf away... 

9. I can still do most of the things I want to do once baby comes.  This is true and untrue.  I still exercise, see my friends, shop, read, cook, work, spend time with my husband and do lots of things that make me happy.  But I can't do everything.  I read a really great article recently similar to this post in which a mom was advising new moms "You can't do everything, and don't let other people make you feel guilty for missing things when in the best interests of your baby."  There will be weddings you miss because it's just too late for baby to be out or too far for your young family to travel.  There will be times when you can't go places because of your baby's health or temperament.  There will be times you need to spend with your family instead of at work or with your friends.  The lady in the article said "You'll get over the guilt of missing the wedding, but the guilt of not doing what was best for your child will stick with you."  And that is true.  Learn to say "No".  It may irritate your friends and family members, it may make you feel like a stick in the mud, but you'll sleep easier knowing that you did what was best for your baby.

The Big D 5k -or- The Day I Took A Nap

This past Sunday, Melissa and I braved the thunderstorms and ran in the Big D 5k at Fair Park in Dallas.  Leading up to the race was a time of training that proved somewhat comical, at times frustrating, and always rewarding.  Sometimes the reward was really tight hamstrings.  Maybe one day I'll take you through the finer points of my training experiences. But I digress.

AWESOME THINGS ABOUT THE 5K

• I am related to the person who crossed the finish line fourteenth out of about 900 people.  Coincidentally I am also the person related to the person who finished top of her age group at about 22 minutes, who also happened to be the third female to finish.  Bravo, sister.
• It didn't rain.  Well, it did.  But it rained before we started and after we finished.  Not so awesome for the half-marathon and marathoners.  But they're crazy anyway, so I'm sure a little bit of freezing rain didn't bother them.
• I finished faster than I had been training, thanks to being stuck at the front and starting out like a bunch of crazy hamsters let go from their cages.  See also "Not Awesome Things About The 5k"
• Melissa waited for me at the finish line (she may have ran the course again, I don't know) and said she almost didn't see me cross the line because she was looking for a "small white girl running really slowly in a white hat".  What she wasn't looking for was a tiny woman with a backwards hat running like a maniac for the finish line, and thus nearly missed my triumphant ending.
• Hearing about Melissa grabbing one of those little water cups from the sides and pouring it all over her head, only to realize it was red Powerade.
• Winning first in the category Melissa and I invented for myself.  I'll let you know what it is as soon as I've worked up an important-looking certificate.

NOT AWESOME THINGS ABOUT THE 5K

• Starting at the front.  This is bad because a.) the front people take off like a stampede of escaped mental patients (including my own mental-patient of a sister) and b.) I don't belong in the front.  For the full first mile, 197 people passed me and I passed not one person.  This depressed me for awhile.  It's not good to be depressed during the first mile of a three-mile run.
• Two of the 197 people to pass me were nine year old girls, and they stayed past me.
• Watching people throw away the little water cups in the wind (I know they're supposed to) so that the cups blew away where no one would probably pick them up... and knowing I shouldn't stray from the course to pick them up myself.

AWESOME THINGS ABOUT THE WEEKEND

• Spending it with sister.
• Seeing Belinda Williams.
• Seeing the ghost of the Red Rider.
• TAKING A NAP.  
• NYLO Dallas-Las Colinas.
• Food choices other than Mexican.  Though I still picked Mexican one day.  It's just nice to have the option.
• Coming home to see my family.

A Farewell to Arms

It's that time of year again: PROM is upon us, and gesticulation is heavy on the ground in high school classrooms every where.  Just take a look around (if you find yourself surrounded one day by high school heathens) and you'll see girls gesturing precisely and just-so with their hands and arms - you can literally watch the same conversation play out hundreds of times.

They're describing their prom dresses.  I noticed this phenomenon when I was in high school - I even did it myself.  I challenge any married woman to describe her own wedding dress and NOT use her hands.  It's taken me years, but I've finally managed to eliminate all hand/arm movement and I can successfully describe my own senior prom dress in two concise words: blue disaster.

In other news, my 'race' is looming and I am 'ready'.  It pains me to call it a race because I most assuredly will not win, nor will I try.  I prefer to call it a 'run'.  In other other news, my sister could actually win it for her age group, though she keeps talking about 'running with me', a notion of hers I have been abusing hotly. 

And finally, to sum up what we've been doing lately?  Track meets.  Track practices.  Easter Sunday.  Senior photo sessions.  Sometimes running.  Sometimes cleaning.  Teething.  Crawling.  And of course, using every day objects as highly entertaining toys for our son.