love actually is all around

I taped the movie Love Actually from TV last year and have been watching this opening over and over. It is my favorite. I hope you are feeling the love of the season all around.

Christmas Miracle!!

Last Friday my principal came to me after school to tell me she spoke with the school district and that they made a contract for me. Since I am staying longer than 60 days, they were able to hire me as an official NSD teacher until March 21st! The contract is retroactive so I get back pay from November 5th!!

Living off of a substitutes salary has been ridiculously hard, especially not getting paid for any holidays, snow days, half days, etc. Knowing that I will now be paid for all of Winter Break makes me want to jump for joy. I also get retirement and benefits!! I don't have to keep paying an arm and a leg for my prescriptions! This is the biggest blessing in my life right now and I am so grateful where my life has been led. I've had to make some tough decisions lately and it just feels so wonderful to be blessed for my hard work.

My principal says that this is a huge foot in the door since I am an official employee now! Not just a substitute! She sent me an e-mail the other day saying she owed me big time for staying and she will do everything in her power to get me a job next year. I cannot tell you how nice that was to hear! Whether I am here next year or have a different adventure being prepared for me, I am grateful for the life I am living today.

To update everyone on my decision of moving to Utah....the job position changed from what I had originally thought. The job was broken up into two positions with a lower salary. Honestly, I would have loved to do the job before it was split into two positions. It sounded like a fun challenge that was right down my alley. I considered taking the newly offered receptionist job, just to change things up, but after a lot of thinking and praying, I decided to stay here for now. Who know what the future holds. Maybe in a few months something perfect will come along with a higher salary and I will be more open to the thought of big change. Until then, I'm enjoying today.

It's Not Personal, It's Business.....

You will need to read the previous post to know what I'm about to talk about....

A few days after talking with my uncle about working for him, I found out that the teacher I am working for will not be returning on January 15th like I thought since she is still in Guatemala working out adoption issues with her son. She was supposed to be home by Thanksgiving but has run into several set backs. This was tough news to hear as my uncle had just e-mailed me asking when I could fly down to Utah for an interview. He had worked it out so I could start working after January 15th if I was a good fit for the company. After talking to my family I knew this was a great opportunity and felt bad that the situation I was in with the Kindergarten job getting extended. This changed everything.

After hearing so many times from people to do what is best for me in my life, I e-mailed my principal letting her know of the situation and that I may need to leave in January. I knew if this happened, the class would get their 4th teacher for the year and have to start all over again. I didn't like sending this off, but knew I had to be open with her. In my gut, I knew I couldn't leave the kids after everything they have been through but it was so hard knowing I could be passing up a good opportunity. Talk about stress and so many questions I wanted someone to answer for me.

Talking with people over my dilemma, I was quoted the line from The Godfather..."It's not personal, it's business." I was given the advice many times from many people to think about my future and what is best for me. I completely understood every one's logic and genuine concern for me. This was hard to hear because I want to look after myself but there is something in me that cannot leave people in a hard position. Knowing that these children, parents, faculty, principals, etc. would have to go through yet another teacher in 4 months if I left was too much for me to bare. I made the decision to stay. And since that decision I have felt peace. I let my uncle know about the extended commitment I made and that I understood if he needed to find someone else since I was unavailable in January. That was hard to say because I didn't know what I could be giving up for myself, but I know I will be blessed because I feel like I made the right decision for the lives of these children.

After hearing the above quote, I immediately thought of the movie, You've Got Mail. Throughout the movie, The Godfather is quoted and talked about many times. There is a part when Joe Fox talks about making Kathleen Kelly's book store go out of business.....

Joe Fox: It wasn't... personal.
Kathleen Kelly: What is that supposed to mean? I am so sick of that. All that means is that it wasn't personal to you. But it was personal to me. It's *personal* to a lot of people. And what's so wrong with being personal, anyway?
Joe Fox: Uh, nothing.
Kathleen Kelly: Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal.

Whatever happens in my near future, I know that I will be guided where I need to be. I am still waiting to hear back from my uncle. There is a slight chance things could still work out. He had someone covering the position who is pregnant. Amazingly enough, she is about 5 months pregnant and would have her baby around the time I will be finishing up my job in Kindergarten. I know she wasn't planning on covering until then, but I know if it is supposed to be the right thing, it will all work out.

I'll leave you with one last quote from You've Got Mail that shares my feelings. Thanks for listening.

Kathleen Kelly: Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Well, not small, but valuable. And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So good night, dear void.

Time for a Change?

Yet again, my life has taken a turn full of changes and decision making. I should just get used to it, but lately things have been coming out of nowhere and catching me off guard. I got a call from my father last Thursday night (11/29) letting me know that my uncle is looking for an executive assistant/office manager for his investment business and he thought of me. My uncle is an unbelievable man who helps many people and I have always been interested in working with him. Last year, during one of my grandparents funerals and around the time when things weren't feeling right at Evergreen, I asked him casually if he was looking for a personal assistant which he didn't need at the time. He must have remembered me asking a year ago and I felt honored he thought about me for the position. The main setback for me making a decision (besides stopping teaching) was that his office is in Utah. I would not only be making a change in careers, but a change in my entire life. My housing, friends, location, culture, weather, grocery stores, favorite restaurants, family.....so much to think about.

At first, I was completely opposed to moving and changing my life so drastically. But the more I have been thinking about the opportunity and my future, I have begun to think this could be what I need in my life. I love teaching but I don't want to teach forever. I want to be the room mom who volunteers and plans parties for my kids. I want to be on the other end of the parent teacher conferences and be a supportive parent. I want to go buy a Christmas tree with my husband and children and make family traditions and memories. I want to bake cookies with my kids, teach them how to be good in a world that has so much bad all around it, raise them with love, faith and kindness. That is what I want in this life. More than anything else. It's what I have always wanted. Recently, I have had to stop and look at my life. Am I on a path that will lead me towards this?

I've had to look at my career life....I am working hard to get into the Northshore School District, which has been a dream of mine since 2nd grade. I have worked so hard to get my name out there and now principals are noticing me, appreciating me and fighting to get me a job next year as they are doing everything they can to get me as much work as they can this year. I have been grateful for this. Career wise, I am on the right path. But there are still uncertainties. Last year, they hired only 5 teachers in the whole district. This year there are budget cuts. What if they close a school? What if they can't hire teachers? I cannot work three jobs again next year. What if I am single a lot longer? Will teaching be the best for me financially? I will have to go back to school very soon to get my professional certificate which means taking more loans out.

I've had to look at my personal life....I have not gone on a date in who knows how long. (Well, I know, but I don't want to disclose that information right now) I made a move almost two years ago to have a better opportunity to meet people through church. So far, there has been nobody I have been interested in. I can't help but think I do need a big change in my life to get things going.

I remember in one of my previous posts I said I felt like I was being prepared for something big in my life. I didn't know what it was but I knew something was going to happen. I have been praying constantly these past couple of weeks to know what I am supposed to do with my life. This is a big decision and I need to really know which decision will help me with receiving the desires of my heart.

Slice the Bird!

Here's our version of our favorite Cosby Show Thanksgiving moment. It's been awhile since we've practiced so bare with us!

Our Turkey Day!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Here's a little look at our day. It was good to have Justin home!! The girls had a good time in the kitchen, the boys bonded over football and we all came together to have a great dinner. (I do have to say the boys helped a little and they did do the dishes which was very helpful!)

The master baster!

Homemade rolls to die for. We have rolls shaped into bunnies for Easter and I have always wanted my mom to make these into turkeys. I guess I'll have to figure out how to do that someday.

I may not be able to make turkey rolls, but I can make gumdrop turkeys!

Don't be fooled....Dad did help with the potatoes and carving the turkey, but this time he came up during a commercial to get a drink and pose for a picture.

Justin on the computer during the commercial break.

My patient mom making my dad an Italian soda during his commercial break in the middle of all the cooking. What a nice mom.

Vanessa helps by peeling potatoes.

Here are the boys with their drinks ready to watch football.

How You Slice the Turkey!

My family loves to copy Bill Cosby when cutting the bird. There is another episode we love, but this is the only one I could find. However you cut the turkey....have a great day!

Turkey Head!

Just wanted to share one of my favorite turkey head dances from Friends. I wanted to do this when I was in collage, but couldn't afford a turkey big enough to fit over my head. I surprised my mom and family by driving home from Utah with friends and wanted to do something funny when she opened the door. I guess just seeing me was enough. Hope everyone is getting ready for Thanksgiving! I can't wait. My little brother will be home on Tuesday!!

I'm Having Nightmares of a White Christmas!!!

Let me clarify the title of this post. I would love to see a beautiful snowy white Christmas! What I don't want to see is a full set of white hair on my head this holiday season! I swear I have been finding more and more white hairs. Come on! I am only 27!! Lately, it is really getting to me. I cleaned out my brush the other day and found a couple of white hairs. I picked some hair off the floor this morning....one of them was white. I was brushing my teeth last night and found a long white hair right along my hair line. What's up with that!?!?!? I am just pulling them out hoping my hair is just covered with paint from my classroom. I haven't gotten my hair colored in awhile and I'm going in on Monday. I am hoping this will help me with my paranoia of looking like a grandma. My mom said that my aunt went completely grey/white by the time she was 30. Shoot! Thanks for putting me and my few white hairs in your thoughts, we appreciate it! :)

Livin' La Vida Loca!

I got a call on October 29th from the principal from Woodin Elementary School in Northshore School District. One of her teachers went on family leave the first week of October to adopt a son in Guatemala. After a couple of weeks, her long term substitute decided the job was too much and quit. Angela Kerr, the principal at Kokanee, where I have worked a lot, recommended me to this principal. I was flattered my name was recommended as someone who could help out when they were in a bind but also very nervous to hear the details of the job. First of all, it was a full day Kindergarten. KINDERGARTEN!! They are so young and needy. I felt my energy drain out of me right away. There are 24 children in the class which is a LOT of young and needy children. The kicker is that the class is a dual language program. Half the children speak Spanish and half speak English and they are emerged to help them learn a second language. The principal came and observed me on HALLOWEEN (the worst day of the year for teachers...tied with the day after due to the candy hangovers) and called me November 1st to tell me she'd like to have me teach the class until January 15th. I went to check out the classroom that day for about 15 minutes to see what I was getting myself into. Complete craziness! I don't think there were rules or structure and the kids were soooo loud! At this point, I started to freak out!

On top of the craziness with the kids, the classroom was a complete disaster. If anyone knows me, they know I like to be organized and clean. This was my worst nightmare. I couldn't see tabletops, desk tops, counter tops, floor space, etc. Everything was covered with random papers, piles, boxes, etc. The books in the library were thrown in with no system. The dust on shelves and around the room would make anyone sneeze. My heart stopped and I wondered how in the world I was going to teach in that environment. I came back the next day (Friday) and stayed a few hours after school cleaning up. I had no clue where to start. I cleaned off the teachers desk and did a few other small things, but it got late and I had to go. On Saturday, I met with the other Kindergarten teacher, who is super nice and helpful, to go over lesson plans for the next week. It was hard to plan lessons for kids I didn't now. Especially in a language I didn't know. I don't know how I got through that day but I did. I haven't been that overwhelmed in a long time.

To make a super long story with tons of details shorter than I could make it, I started on Monday (11/5) and I have not stopped working ever since. I went back to the "September" lessons of setting rules and routines in the classroom. The kids and I have been getting to know each other and taking things slow. The first 20 minutes of meeting the kids were accompanied by me learning about one of my students who had separation issues. His mom left and he started yelling and screaming. I couldn't hear anything or hear myself think. Luckily, the principal knew this would happen and came in to hold him down while he was screaming. I tried to get the other kids unpacked and on the carpet to introduce myself and try to be excited but all they could hear was this boy screaming. The kids started covering their ears and were saying they had a headache. Finally the principal went in the hallway with the child, but it was still very loud for a good 20 minutes. Serenity now!

We only had 4 days of school this week since Friday was a teacher work day. It felt like 4 weeks. I think the kids are very sweet and cute but there is so much to do and I feel like I was thrown into a construction zone . I've been going in before school and staying as late as possible after school before I have to go to my other jobs. I leave around 7 am and get home around 9 pm. I have been surviving, but it's just been a lot.

I am lucky to have a great assistant who speaks Spanish and is with me for 4 hours of the day. She has been my lifesaver. Half of the day is supposed to be ONLY spoken and taught in Spanish. I do the best I can with my high school Spanish, but even then, the 5 year olds correct me all the time. My assistant does a lot of the Spanish teaching, but we've had to cut a lot of time out of the day since I am not fluent. The principal knew this and had the option of hiring someone who was a fluent speaker, but decided to choose me since I had more experience. This might have been one of those times that I wouldn't have minded if I wasn't chosen for the job. :) I do feel lucky to have this opportunity to prove to this principal and others that I am a hard worker and that they would benefit from having me on their staff. I hope this will help with my job search for next year. When things seem overwhelming, I keep thinking about how this will benefit my future and hopefully the lives of the children in my class.

If you made it through all of this, thanks for staying with me on my long post. People have been asking what has been new and I haven't had the time to really let them know. Hopefully this will give you a small glimpse into the life of Fife right now. I'll keep you updated on my new adventure and how my Spanish is coming along. I knew I should have studied more in my Spanish class in high school! :) Adios for now.

Serenity Now, Insanity Later!

Has anyone seen this Seinfeld episode? It's a classic. I tend to say "serenity now" when things are stressful to help me get through. I feel like I've been saying it a lot lately so I had to add this clip today. My life is maxed out with "stuff" and I have been staying super busy. But life is good. I am happy and healthy which I couldn't ask for more. I feel like I'm being stretched in my life right now and I feel like I am being prepared for something in the future. There has to be a reason so much is going on in my life right now and I am interested to find out why. I started a third job a couple of weeks ago. I am subbing during the days, tutoring an old student once a week after school and working at a spa in Bothell three nights a week. It is called It Figures. Some family friends (the Soanes, who I watched their daughter while they were in Europe) just bought and took over the business and I'm helping out a few evenings a week. It has been nice earning some extra money but it has been hard having my nights taken away. It makes it hard to find the time to do the little things like take care of insurance claims, figuring out why I am STILL getting bills from the hand surgery I had in May, completing my church responsibilities, finding time to eat and work out, doing laundry, etc. I can't complain about not finding time to eat. I've lost a few pounds from stress and it actually feels kind of nice. :) It seems like right when I have a moment of peace, something else appears. I hope I'm not complaining in any way! Life is busy and at times overwhelming, but I am so grateful that I am smiling each day and enjoying life. There have been times in my life where I couldn't have handled all of this "stuff" but I feel blessed for these experiences and opportunities that will help me grow and become a stronger, better Emily. So I have serenity now and I'll save the insanity for later.

Cruisen with my Homies, Part Dos

Here is the second set of pictures from my trip. They are a little out of order from the stops we made. We first went to Cabo San Lucas, then to Mazatlan and our last stop was to Puerto Vallarta.

We took a boat ride tour to a private island in Puerto Vallarta. I guess it is called Caletas??? If you speak Spanish, maybe you can tell me. This was the nicest place ever! It seriously was like a set from a movie. It used to be owned by a movie director and it was his own private island. He opened it up to the public a few years ago. It was so relaxing and there were many things to do there. We were first served a very authentic meal, walked around the island, where we saw a gecko, monkey and birds, laid out, went snorkeling, laid out again then enjoyed the best massage. Up above the little island were small tiki huts secluded for massage therapy. I got a 1/2 hour massage and the whole time could hear the waves crashing and the birds chirping. It was such an amazing environment. It was a great experience.

I loved the bathrooms at this place. This happens to be a men's bathroom, but they are all individual little huts.

On our boat ride back. My hair is wet and massage oily, but I'm relaxed with my pina colada!

Our last shopping stop in Puerto Vallarta. This was my favorite little shopping center. Look to the left, top corner and you will see Mexican Wrestler Masks. I searched everywhere for the Nacho Libre mask for my brother. The people here were fun to shop and barter with. I got the mask! Now my brother just needs to get some stretchy pants and he has a great costume.

Another "formal night" dinner.

Standing by a fertility goddess in Cabo San Lucas on the city tour.

We had lunch here before we went to the beach in Cabo San Lucas.

Karrie and I got a little action from Senior Frog in Mazatlan.

The Old Mazatlan Market sells everything to souvenirs to every part of the pig.

Standing outside of a beautiful church in Mazaltan.

Cruisen with my Homies, Part Uno

Hola Amigos! Here are a few pictures of my trip to Mexico. It was a fun trip with wonderful weather. This trip came at the most perfect time!! I really needed a "vacation from my problems" (What About Bob, anyone???) and laying out in the sun with no worries was just what I needed. Add a couple of pina coladas and an all you can eat buffet and I was in heaven. Not to mention complimentary room service, midnight buffets, 5 course dinners every night and much more. What a great escape from the daily routines! I went on the cruise with my roommate, Karrie and her family. Suzy Bramwell and I tagged along with their family. They are great fun to be around!

Our first stop was in Cabo San Lucas. We went on a city tour which ended at a beach for a couple of hours before going back to the boat. I have to say, Cabo wasn't my favorite place, but the water was the best out of all three stops.

Our Dawn Princess ship from afar.

This was one of our "formal nights". I left the prom dresses at home, but there were some who brought them and were living it up.

Mocktails, anyone?

Muy Bueno!

We are thinking about having this enlarged and framed above the fireplace so it's the first thing you see when you walk into the condo. If not that, then it could be our Christmas card so keep your eyes open in your mailboxes. (I am seriously joking here!!)

Here is one of the million pictures they take of you when you get on and off of the boat. We got a free one so we chose this one. They are so flippen expensive!

What happened to September???

It's been awhile since my last post. Life has been busy, busy, busy and I haven't been home since around Labor Day. I just got back from a cruise to Mexico (I will post that next) and before that, I watched a 15 year old family friend while her parents were in Europe for three weeks. Living with five pets (dog, cats, SNAKES), a house to clean, dinner to cook, a homecoming to shop for, drama with homecoming dresses, etc.....the three weeks went by very fast. I haven't been home since September and I can't believe October is almost over. I hope now that I'm home and life is getting settled, I'll be able to keep up with my posting. So, let me get you caught up starting with picture of the Evergreen State Fair from Labor Day!

My roommate Karrie and me eating JUMBO corn dogs!

This is one of my favorite treats at the fair! Pina Colada with chocolate dripped on the inside of the cup. Yummy! It got me in the mood for the cruise to Mexico!

With my friend, Lisa Low.

Karrie Pelton and Lisa Low at the Rodeo! Yeehaw!

Back to School

It's that time again! This is the first time in three years that I am calm on the night before the first day of school. It is weird knowing that I won't be meeting my students tomorrow. One of my traditions before the first day of school was to watch the movie, Billy Madison. I watched it just for the part with him waiting for the bus and singing. I couldn't start the year without it. I would sing it in my head during the entire drive to school. For those of you going back to school or are sending children off....enjoy a little song on me. Hope this year is full of delicious snack packs!

What did you do over your summer vacation?

Tomorrow's a day away.....

It has taken me a little while to update what has been happening with the Life of Fife. The past month has been very busy with a lot of decision making and a lot of stress. It all started the week my brother came home from his mission. My whole family was in town and catching up. On the way home from a Mariner's game, my sister in law asked me how my job with the Crooks was going. I told her I really enjoyed their family and loved getting to know the kids. I was getting to a point where I was comfortable with the kids and we were really bonding and building relationships. I explained my travel and work schedule for the next few months and I realized that I wouldn't be around very much. I think it was the first time it really hit me how much time was required with the job. But even still, I was excited to go to California, possibly go to Disneyland, Lego Land, etc. I was excited to meet Ruby, their new daughter, when she arrived from China. I was excited to take Ciara and Hunter on field trips during the days when school started. I didn't think much of it until I got an e-mail from Jennifer that night.

What timing! Jennifer was checking in on how everything was going with the job. We both thought everything was going well, but her old babysitter had called and was looking for a job and said she would absolutely love to have mine if it wasn't working out. This made me start thinking....fast! Maybe I was getting a little hesitant about the time commitment for a reason. After talking to Mike and Jennifer, I felt this strong impression that I should give their old babysitter the job. It sounded perfect for her. I knew I would miss the kids and working with Mike and Jennifer, but I think after time, I would miss being home and being with my family and friends throughout the year. The whole decision making happened so incredibly fast but yet, so easily. It felt right for everyone. The word on every one's lips was WEIRD. Within a couple of days, the Crooks had a new nanny and I didn't have a job or a car. I still worked for the Crooks for two more weeks which included a nice trip to Langley, British Columbia. A few days after coming home from Langley, my dad and I found a nice little car online in Portland. A little granny owned it and only drove it to the library and the golf course so it was a great deal. My dad picked it up and will drive it to Seattle in a week. It will be nice to see my new set of wheels. The granny had some style. :) I feel blessed to have that work out as easy as it was. My dad even knew the lady's nephew. They went to high school together. WEIRD.

After I talked to the Crooks about leaving, I worked hard and fast to get teaching applications out to districts. I knew everything would work out, I just didn't know how. I contacted everyone I knew and networked, networked, networked. I knew my chances of getting a job were slim since school was starting in a couple of weeks. As of now, I still don't have a teaching job but I still feel like everything will be ok. I had a couple of interview opportunities. They were great practice but they didn't feel right. I know the perfect job is out there for me and I may end up subbing for awhile until I find it. I'm ok with that. I know I have made the right decisions in my life over the past few months and I'm being led to something amazing. Maybe at the end of this path will be my Mr. Right?? It could happen. :)

For now, thank you to everyone who has been so supportive during this time. So many of you have written letters of recommendation, filled out forms, sent cards, called to check in, etc. I am so blessed to have great friends and family who truly care. One of my favorite things I did with the Crooks kids was sing along with the Annie soundtrack. They were the cutest things!!! I have their voices in my head singing away..."The sun'll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun! Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow, you're always a day a way." I'll keep you updated with what's in store for my tomorrow.

Trailer Sweet Trailer

If you were wondering where I lived when I was on the road....wonder no more. Here are a few pictures of my home away from home. I lived in the smaller trailer with Catherine. It was fun living with a 14 year old. She made made me realize how old I really am, but taught me how to fit in with the teenagers these days. She was a great roommate and we got along very well.

Here's Holly posing outside my trailer.

My Bedroom. The closet is to the left of the bed.

This is looking from my bedroom to the rest of the trailer. Straight ahead is the bathroom. The front door is to the left. I was set up to cook, but I mainly used the microwave.

This is the Crooks' RV. It is really like a small apartment on wheels. It is very nice with a lot of room and storage for everyone. They set up a play area between the two trailers for the kids to play outside.

I am standing in the master bedroom looking at the living area. The door by the TV leads to the kids room. It is set up very nice and it was comfortable being there most of the day with all of the kids. They have a lot of toys and art supplies to keep us busy. I tried to get out of the RV once a day with the kids either going swimming, to the zoo, park, to a movie, bookstore, etc. I did more cooking here since it was set up very well and easy to do. I was hesitant at first to light the stove and oven with a match, but after my eyebrows stayed on, I gained confidence.

Big, Bigger, Biggest

Here are a few pictures of what I drove working for the Crooks. The van was hard to get used to at first, but NOTHING like the truck. It was a workout to drive because every muscle in my body became tense as I was behind the wheel. After awhile, it was fun to drive but my muscles hurt afterwards. I have to say, I got a lot of looks from guys as I was driving past them. It kind of made me smile as I listened to my Hairspray Soundtrack. What more could a guy want than a girl driving a truck and listening to show tunes??? Maybe I'll have to borrow that truck from time to time.

The Suburban, The Van, The Truck

I didn't mind driving this one around. I didn't get scared on the golf cart, unless one of the kids were driving. Hunter has some great skills, but I was hanging on for dear life! :)

If you look closely above the back wheel, you may see the scratch I made from a fence. I felt SO bad until Mike showed me all the other scratches that other girls left on the beast. I then felt like I left my mark and I was officially part of the family.

Justin's Airport Homecoming

The whole family was able to be at the Seattle Airport to welcome Justin home. We wore sunglasses and acted like the drivers you see picking up passengers. We all had a sign with different nicknames we call Justin. Even Gabrielle had a little sign. She was excited to meet her uncle for the first time. There was so much excitement and anticipation as we waited for him to walk out. It was an amazing feeling watching him walk towards us and to see our family all together again. It was very surreal! The first stop after the airport was Dick's. It made the homecoming that much better!