Grace in Small Things: 1

I got the idea to join this blog carnival from my friend from college, Lindsey. Lindsey is one of those gals that, after reading her blog, I am so bummed that we didn't become better friends in college. We live far away now, but it's nice to have another blog/ IRL* friend to keep up with!

*That's In Real Life for you non-MckMama people out there.

Anyway, I present to you, Grace in Small Things. These are daily reminders of all the things I have to be thankful for. Welcome to my first edition.

1. Olive Cheese Bread
2. Mario Kart on the Wii
3. My Smartboard
4. Having a cool house on a hot afternoon
5. Talking in Jamaican accents with my third graders

There you have it.

Oh, and this sweet guy is home! Give Him some praise!!!

Perez Who?

There is something I am about to admit to y'all and it's not going to be pretty.

My name is Rachel and I am a pop culture addict.

(I surely do hope that you're sitting at your computer saying outloud, "Hi, Rachel!" That would make me feel so much better about myself. Ahem.)

I love tabloids magazines such as US Weekly and People. I try as hard as I can not to buy them, because I do realize that they are a huge waste of money. Sometimes I even get in the long lines at the grocery stores so I can browse the good ones. I just check them out at the library instead.

My name is Rachel and I am a library magazine addict.

But that is another story for another day.

All this to say, I have been intrigued by this Perez Hilton/Miss California debacle. (And no, Perez Hilton is not the brother of Paris Hilton as my father asked me last night. Love it.) Let me set the stage for you.

Miss California (Carrie Prejean) is about to embark on the "Question Portion" of the Miss USA Pageant. The question that she draws is from one of the judges, Perez Hilton. His question was as follows:

“Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?”

Her answer? Maybe not the most articulate group of sentences I have ever heard, but certainly, considering the pressure she was under, very well put:

“Well I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one way or the other. We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. You know what, in my country, in my family, I do believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, no offense to anybody out there. But that’s how I was raised and I believe that it should be between a man and a woman. Thank you.”

Bless her heart for standing up for what she believes in. This girl has met with some of the most cruel and nasty remarks, blogs, articles, Twitter posts, etc. and she has kept her cool. I'm the first in line to be this girl's friend!

Perez Hilton has proved himself to be very intolerant of other people's opinions, but considering his reputation, that shouldn't come as a surprise. He (as well as Miss California) has been on multiple news programs sharing his anger and spite. Seriously, America? I thought we had bigger issues to deal with currently. I could go on about this issue and what my thoughts are, but instead, I would like to share an article that I think sums up my thoughts on this issue.

This article is written by Roland S. Martin and although I haven't read anything else by him and realize that we probably don't agree on everything, I think he speaks boldly and honestly here. Bless his heart for writing what a lot of people are actually thinking. I will provide a link at the bottom of my post for you to use for the direct article, if you'd like.

But for now, preach it, Roland.

Commentary: Miss California, thanks for being honest

By Roland S. Martin
CNN Contributor

(CNN) -- A lot of folks are always saying they like to keep it real, that they want authenticity and straight talk. Yet when someone actually does it, there is hell to pay.

Welcome to the world of Miss California, Carrie Prejean, who, since she answered a question regarding same-sex marriage in Sunday's Miss USA pageant, has been savagely attacked by those who oppose what she had to say.

Leading the burn-her-at-the-stake parade is media opportunist Perez Hilton, the self-described gossip queen, and the individual who kick-started this controversy by asking the initial question as to whether the issue of same-sex marriage should be left up to the states.

It seems that Hilton, who is gay, was none too pleased that Prejean chose to actually give her personal opinion on the issue, and ripped her on his blog after the show, using crude obscenities as he continued to attack her at every turn on his media blitz.

Hey, Hilton, from a real journalist to a wanna-be who traffics in gossip: Never ask a question if you're unprepared for the answer!

Frankly, this whole story is pretty stupid. Isn't the whole point of asking a question to get someone's true feelings, rather than the plastic and superficial answers we are all used to receiving?

Sure, Prejean could have gone the safe route and given one of those answers that reveal nothing and is hard to decipher -- you know, the ones politicians give all the time -- but no! She actually gave her real opinion, and is now being torn to shreds for it.

She opposes same-sex marriage. OK, fine. So what if she had said, "Hey, I'm in full support of same-sex marriage." Would she now be celebrated on gay-focused blogs, magazines and Web sites? Would her detractors actually be saying how open she is and that she's a great person?

Same- sex marriage is undoubtedly a hot button issue. And being from California, the site of Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that voters approved outlawing same-sex marriage, Prejean has surely had to hear the debate go back and forth. But her remark isn't outside the mainstream. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll shows that 55 percent of Americans are against same-sex marriage, and Proposition 8 did pass in her state 52-48 percent.

What's interesting about this is that many of the same folks who are slamming her for her remark voted for President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, who both have the same belief: that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Even Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear that she has the same view, and it was her husband, President Bill Clinton, who signed the In Defense of Marriage Act, the federal law that forbids states from having to recognize gay marriage in other states.

In other words, four of the biggest liberals in the country have the same belief as Prejean, but a beauty pageant winner is being torn to shreds. Hello, hypocrisy!

Those who criticize Prejean have the same right as she does to express their viewpoints. But enough with all the political correctness, where someone says she should have danced around the issue, smiled and move on.

At the end of the day, we all have to be true to ourselves. Whether it's a gay gossip writer who favors same-sex marriage or a heterosexual woman who is against same-sex marriage. The day we condemn folks for speaking honestly is the day we become a bland society.

Maybe we're already there.

Please click here for the article on CNN.

Straight Up Hilarious.

I love teaching third grade. It is one of the highlights of my life, hands down. It is so much of a highlight that I think I need to share with you all something that I am still giggling about.

I have been sneezing like a crazy person this morning. Welcome, spring allergies. I have been dreading your arrival missed you. I sneezed about five times in a row after teaching my Language Arts lesson and made a comment that went something like this:

Me: Y'all, my nose is about to kill me this morning.

N (one of my fave students): Oh! Smell my hair! It smells like dicks!

Yes. You just read that correctly. Go back and read it again if you don't believe me. Let's continue this gem of a conversation, shall we?

Me: It smells like WHAT?

At this point, I am trying desperately not to overreact and cause a scene, because make no mistake, I teach nineteen "scene-makers" every single weekday and we don't need any extra ammunition.

N: Dicks! It smells like dicks!

Me: Okay. What does that smell like?

Because let's face it. I am NOT about to go smell this girls hair.

N: DICKS! The stuff that was on that tissue that you gave me!

This is when the light clicked on for me. A little background knowledge for all of you, because at this point, I'm sure you are as confused as I was. Back in January, N and I were both fighting horrible colds at the same time. I did not want to be sharing the same box of tissues with my students, so I brought in my own box of glory. Allow me to share the wealth.

Please take a moment to notice what the Puffs is enhanced with, besides lotion.

Yes. That would be Vicks.

I had taken to being the nicest teacher in the world when N and I both had the horrible cold and I shared one (yes, just ONE) of my beloved tissues with her. I believe my exact instructions were, "Take this tissue and don't blow your nose with it. Just sit there with it over your nose and inhale." Hey, we were both desperate for something to work and I was not about to share my little tub of real Vicks with her. No. That is my gold in a jar, people.

All that to say, apparently her hair smells like Vicks. But for now, I think I'm just going to take her word for it.

Hi. I'm Aunt Rachel. Nice to meet you.

I have yet to be blessed with any biological nieces and nephews. Considering that both my brother and brother-in-law are young college men with no wives to speak of, this is not surprising.

However, about two and a half years ago, a blessing was born. My first "niece". Catherine Margaret was the firstborn to her momma and daddy. Her momma, one of my best girlfriends, Tarah, was my RD in Shatford during my freshman year. Tarah quickly became like a sister to me and we have been close ever since. I think that one of the reasons we love each other so much is because we have the ability to be completely and utterly honest with one another. There was a time where she was so honest with me and I hated it because I knew she was rightI am stubborn and I didn't talk with her for a few months. Can we give the Lord an Amen for people who tell us the truth in His love and another Amen for when we finally get over our stubborn selves to learn that He is always right?

There was another time where I came back to school a few weeks early because I was working at my dorm's front desk. The boy that I had broken up with that summer was there early, too, and it was the hardest thing (at that time) for me to stay away from him. I was stressed and very emotional and Tarah was there for me through the whole blasted encounter with Crazy. That's my really great nickname for him. Crazy. I just made it up. ANYWAY, she had a meeting or something one night, so she called me and told me to get a good book and come over and just take a bath while she was gone. Oh my word, best relaxation ever. Plus, Crazy had no clue where I was, which in hindsight, was the best gift of all! All that to say, Tarah has a way of being the sister I never had.

Anyway, Tarah had to go and get herself married to a most wonderful man and they blessed us all about nine months later with the beautiful Catherine Margaret Auffhammer. I will never forget my roommate running into the bathroom at 6:00 am (I was getting ready for student teaching-- there is never a good reason for being up that early) holding out my phone saying, "It's Ben (Tarah's brother). Tarah's having the baby!" Oh my word. Best day ever. I could barely contain my excitement that day. And that beautiful girl was born and blessed my ever-loving socks right off my body. A few months later, I got to go and love on that baby girl for a few days and since then, I've watched her grow from this...


To this...


Oh, sweet girl, Aunt Rachel loves you so much.

Then, last March, Tarah and James decided to give us all another blessing. Miss Lydia Elaine graced us with her presence and made the world a happier place. Since Tarah has chosen to live so far from Aunt Rachel, Lala and I have not officially met. Still, I could not love that child more. I love hearing stories and seeing pictures. Check out the awesome little dress I got her from Janie and Jack.


Mercy, I have to keep myself from kissing all over this computer screen. "Lala" or "Lati" just turned one. Aren't those some great nicknames? I will get out there one of these days and those girls are gonna be covered in Neutrogena Moisture Shine Lipgloss.

Well, I was informed a few months ago that yes, I was going to become Auntie Rachel for the third (and let's face it, probably not the last) time! I could not have been more thrilled. Then today, Tarah called to tell me what I already knew. I'm gonna be a girl auntie again. Auffhammer Chickie #3 will come to join the fun in August. I will go out to meet her before she grows up if it kills me. Because, make no mistake, it will kill me. I want those girls to know me and love me like I know and love them. I also want to be the cool aunt who always has gum in her styling purse.

Today, while talking to Tarah, my angel girl, Catie, got on the phone to tell Aunt Rachel that she was watching "The Jungle Book" and then told me she loved me. Oh, that warms a sick girl's heart to the core. A few minutes later, she wanted to show Aunt Rachel her boo-boo through the phone.

Y'all. I was so tickled. I wanted nothing more than to see that boo-boo. Soon, precious girl, very soon.

Many hugs and kisses to all my little nieces in New York. Even to the one in your belly, T. However, I will let the girls pass those along to their sister. We may be close, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to kiss your belly. We'll get there someday.

Cough. Hack. I am sick.

Well, I have news. The news is that I am sick. Sick as a dog. Correction-- was sick as a dog. Today, I think I have progressed into the semi-functional sick category. It's been quite a week here, folks. Quick recap for you:

Last Tuesday (yes, as in a week ago, today): Come home from school. Feel a little bit funny. Realize that I have been coughing for a few days now. Also realize that the cough probably came from my one student who refuses to cover his mouth while he hacks all over anyone and anything. Get a little ticked off at that kid. Stay home from small group because the sick/funny feeling is increasing.

Wednesday: Wake up with a fiery temperature in the middle of the night. Try to write coherent lesson plans at 3:30 am. Finally fall back to sleep around 4:30. Wake up at 6:00 to call in to work. Cough, ache, and burn up all day long. Get smart and write my lesson plans for the sub during the light of day. Fall in love with my husband all over again because he offers to sleep in the guest room, giving me our beautiful bed all to my feverish self.

Thursday: Repeat Wednesday. Refuse to go to the doctor. Because I am stupid.

Friday: Pick a fight with my ever so lovely husband simply because I feel so sick. Feel like a big fat jerk when he continues to be so patient with me. Hubs comes home early because he doesn't feel great. Start seeing spots and my peripheral vision goes out in my left eye. Go to the eye doctor on an emergency visit. Turns out I have an ocular migraine as a result of my fever. UGH. Two of my best friends come from Michigan to visit. Fall asleep at 9:30 like the total lame-o that I am.

Saturday: Wake up and finally feel better and fever free. Go see a movie and do fun things like pedicures with my friends. Hang out at home that night and call random people with Kristi and ask them if they remember us. Laugh hysterically at ourselves. So glad I'm feeling better.

Sunday: Wake up feeling worse than ever. Fever is back and I'm about to burn a hole in my bed. Hubs goes to breakfast with our friends and I can't even get out of bed without feeling like I'm going to pass out and vomit. Lovely. Friends leave and Ty takes me to urgent care. I act like a wounded animal in the waiting room and beg him to ask if they can move quicker. Bless his heart, he does, and they don't. I see the doctor and guess what? I have pneumonia for the 13th time. And no, I am not exaggerating. Get an antibiotic. Lay in bed most of the day. Am so sick that I don't care if I'm watching "Lord of the Rings" with Tyler.

Monday: Still so bloody sick. Tyler stays home from work to take care of me. Mercy, I have the best husband ever. Lay on the couch all day. Cry like a little baby for a few hours because I don't feel good and I wanted my mom. Eat an entire sleeve of Girl Scout Peanut Butter Sandwiches. Finally conk out and sleep all night long.

Tuesday (today!): Wake up and finally don't feel like death warmed over. Tyler goes to work but comes home to take me for a follow-up at the real doctor (sorry, I don't really believe in Urgent Care!). Get a chest x-ray and see that I am indeed getting well. Phew. Tyler takes me to get Chik-fil-A for lunch. We eat at home and he goes back to work. I rest. Write in my blog. Continue to feel better.

If you just read all that, you deserve a prize. Your prize is... not having pneumonia! I would like that prize, thankyouverymuch.

I am just looking forward to being well. I am looking forward to having a clean house, cooking dinner every night, keeping up with school work, and being back with my kids getting back into a normal work routine.

One can only take so much CSI, Wifeswap, and America's Next Top Model. That Tyra's really starting to get on my ever-loving-nerves. Mix it up a little bit, girl. Say something else other than, "Congratulations. You're still in the running to be America's Next Top Model." SHUT UP! WE KNOW!

I could just turn off the TV, but seriously, how fun would that be? None. None at all.

_________________________________________________________________

And on a more serious note, please be praying for sweet baby Stellan. This precious boy is fighting so hard and he is tired and his momma is tired. I'm so glad we serve a God who doesn't get tired, but I would so love to see Stellan snap right out of SVT. Last Tuesday (before my Sick Fest 2009), my nineteen third graders all got on their knees and prayed for "baby Stellan and Miss Jennifer". They believe we will see a miracle. Do you?

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my beautiful momma's 50th birthday! My mom is my best friend, hands down. I didn't make life very easy for her while I was growing up. James Dobson wrote a book about me; I don't know if you've heard of it? The Strong-Willed Child. What a great title for my autobiography.

All that to say, my mom had no idea what awaited her as I grew up. And, man, did she handle me with grace and love and patience... she still does. Make no mistake, I am still that strong-willed child adult. And I still go to my mom with a lot. And she still handles me with care. That's all after dealing with my antics for the last 23+ years.

So in honor of her 50th year on earth, I would like to write some things down about my mom. I'm not sure if she'll read this, but even if not, I want you all to know what kind of woman raised me. Even though I'm strong-willed, I am well-taught and I love my Jesus and that is because that woman trained up a child in the way of the Lord. I can't think of a better legacy to leave with your children than that.

Rather than doing a "Top Ten List of Things I Love About my Mom" (which, I'll be honest, was my first thought), I'm going to add a little commentary about her alongside this passage from Proverbs 31. Mind you, I am no Biblical scholar, but I think Soloman talked about a Godly woman in such an incredible way, and I would like to show you the parallels between a "Proverbs 31 Woman" and my sweet mother. The words in black are Soloman's. The words in purple are mine.


Proverbs 31:10-31 (The Message)

A good woman is hard to find,
and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
and never has reason to regret it.
My dad is an airline pilot and has had to be away a lot. Such is the nature of his job. However, I have grown up seeing his unconditional trust in my mom to handle things while he is gone. She is trustworthy whether you are sharing a secret or just a silly and embarrassing moment. I don't think there has ever been a moment where I have doubted my mom for even a split second and that is a rare quality.

Never spiteful, she treats him generously
all her life long.
She has always been supportive of my dad doing what he loves (flying), even though I'm know she misses him so much when he is gone. This has given me a great example in how I support my husband in what he does.

She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
and enjoys knitting and sewing.
I definitely can't say that my mom is a knitter or a sewer, but I do remember that one time, in junior high, I bought a pattern and some fabric and wanted to make my own purse. She helped me drag out the sewing machine and she helped me sew that entire purse and was excited as I was when it was finished. That was a long time ago, but I still remember how much she helped me lovingly with that project.

She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
and brings back exotic surprises.
Last year, Mom and Dad went to Israel with Jack and Mom brought me back the most beautiful olive wood figurine of Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus. She is so thoughtful in always bringing me meaningful things from her travel. Things that will be special. I have it on a little shelf above my stove and I love seeing it and thinking of how I hope to go back with Mom (and Dad, Jack, and Ty) someday.

She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast
for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
My mom was always up before us while we were growing up. She would always make my lunch for school and have it ready. I always loved having her be my own personal alarm clock and I especially miss it now that I have to use a real one. Never have I seen my mom stay in her pajamas all day and just be lazy. She is such a hard worker, a phenomenal mom, and a marvelous wife. She packs so much into her day-- I don't know how she does it! I also always felt such a comfort when I was growing up knowing that I would be in bed before her. I don't know why, but I did. She is the hardest working woman I know.

She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
diligent in homemaking.
She's quick to assist anyone in need,
reaches out to help the poor.
She is an amazing homemaker. She has such a knack for decorating and making a loving and warm home. You can't walk in and not want to stay. She has truly invited the Lord to live in her house and that is why it is so inviting. She is also the first to help anyone. She has such a heart for people in need. I have seen her give selflessly of her time, services, and money throughout my life because she knows that they are gifts from God. When my uncle needed a place to live, my mom (and dad) stepped in without a second thought. She loves people because the Lord loved her first. What a testimony for me as I have my own home now!

She doesn't worry about her family when it snows;
their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
My mom is SO, SO beautiful on the inside and the outside. I have had people who don't know her ask if she is my sister when seeing her in pictures. :) Something that I have always appreciated, though, is that she dresses so modestly but so stinking cute. I have known women who dress like they're twenty when they are most definitely not. Mom dresses for her age but she really cares about the way she looks and she is a knock-out. If anything, I don't like going out with her because she always looks better than me!

Her husband is greatly respected
when he deliberates with the city fathers.
I have one fabulous dad, but that is for another day. My mom has always stood by my dad and been the kind of wife that I long to be. She respects and trusts my dad and I am so thankful that I learned from her example and married a man just like him.

She designs gowns and sells them,
brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
My mom laughs easily and she is very good at starting each new day with a smile. No matter what has happened, I always see my mom embrace that fact that God's mercies are new every morning. Again-- what an example!

When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
and she always says it kindly.
I have rarely heard my mom say a bad word about anyone. Something that still drives me a little crazy about her is that she always sees the other person's side when I am having a struggle. That's usually irritating at the time, but as I have grown up hearing how the other person might be feeling, it has given me a great perspective on "taking the plank out of my own eye".

She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
and keeps them all busy and productive.
My brother and I call my mom often, as we both live out of state. This is saying a lot for two grown kids. If we want to keep our mom filled in on our lives, then she clearly fostered an environment growing up where she was really interested in our lives. So much so that we still want to tell her all about what is going on in our day-to-day activities.

Her children respect and bless her;
her husband joins in with words of praise:
"Many women have done wonderful things,
but you've outclassed them all!"
Jack and I more than respect our mom. We love her so much and we really take to heart her opinions. I know that my dad feels the same way. He loves her so much and she feels the same way about him. Their marriage has been such an example for me and Ty. And FYI, Heather Berdan? Classiest woman you'll ever meet. Charming, loving, wise, fun, and God-fearing. Pretty much the definition of classy.

Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
(She's 50 and she just keeps getting better!)

The woman to be admired and praised
is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
Festoon her life with praises!


Proverbs 31:10-31 is the embodiment of my mother. I am so blessed. Mom, today, I celebrate your life! Thank you for being the best mom I could ever dream of. I am so looking forward to your days as "Nana" and all the new things I have to learn from you in these new stages of life. I love you so, so much.

Happy Birthday! :)

I didn't do it.

When you work with kids, you hear "I didn't do it!" a lot more than you probably want. This very well may be something I teach my kids right from the get go-- "If you say that, you will have to play with Momma's hair every night for the rest of your life." What a glorious punishment that would be. For me, of course. Not them.

So, I would like to share with you some of my "Not Me!" moments of this past week. However, before you continue, please go to MckMama's blog and update yourself on Stellan. Not only will you be hooked on her awesome writing, but you won't be able to keep yourself from falling on your knees to pray for this precious little boy. Our God is good. Please pray.

On a lighter note:

I did not lick my thumb and then wipe a smudge off one of my kid's faces today. Number one, not my kid. Number two, gross. Number three, not my kid.

I did not gorge myself on Maggianos AND Coney Island this weekend while at home. I have been doing really well with my diet and would never set myself back by enjoying some of the best food known to man.

On that note, I am not totally bitter about the fact that Cincinnati does not have any Coney Island restaurants. Ugh.

I did not drive to three, count them, THREE gas stations to find a vacuum for my car before giving up and deciding to drive down Montgomery looking for a gas station vacuum until I found one. I did not drive for about two miles until I found one.

I am not totally disappointed by the lack of good coupons in the paper this week and I don't feel like a total dork admitting that yes, I do coupon. And I love it.

Check back in tomorrow for a blog about my darling momma who is turning the big 5-0! If you know her, it's hard to believe, but it's true. Now you all know. Sorry, Mom. :)