I need words

as wide as the sky.

I miss yous.

to you(s).

Remember sitting on the steps by your door an early August night. We talked. About 'From the Inside Out'. I thought it was like a small light starting from your core and spreading throughout your body until you're absolutely glowing, shining. You said you saw it as being flipped -- inside-out.

Remember lying on our backs side by side in the dark of the old Capstone sanctuary? We were talking about the gifts we got from them from their trip to New Orleans. It was after the hurricane. To think that the man who made it for you... could be anywhere. He could be hurt.
We were like a very entertaining snow globe. We'd provide the sparkles for people to enjoy. But I liked those moments when it was just us two and it was calm.

Remember sitting on the bench of that small little park as the fountain overflowed. And you told me. And I felt hurt at first, but I realized I felt more hurt for you. I discovered that night that no matter what, I couldn't love you less.

Remember grassy star-gazing? Sunny snowings and storm watching? Endless walks and talks, coffee (and tea) and houses with lights and sidewalk corners? You were my closest friend. Maybe I took it for granted. But you are cherished.

Remember hearts like glass balls? Notes galore. Metaphors. Mondays and Mayer. I could recognize your handwriting anywhere. Heh.
     ... I'm sorry.
But remembering makes me smile.
But I'm forgetting. Or at least tucking it away neatly. I think that's a good thing.

Remember weird connections. I didn't know you then, but I knew. Remember new paths and old sofas, talking of old dreams and dreaming. Days of discovering. Remember downtown twirling and Limbo! Limbo! Limbo! singing, balloon finding. Likes to Dance. Understanding. Mickey Mouse colour swatches, two slices of Pizza Nova, sorrowful hearts and complete joys. Arising and shining. It's hard for me to forget. I don't want to.

Remember, remember.

Remember. Remember? Remember lighting eternal flames? Remember creating clean hearts. Remember discovery and change and child-like faith? Remember winter walks in the light of the setting sun and gifts for strangers? Remember swinging and songs? Remember mountaintops of dancing, laughing, of freedom and unspeakable joy. Of enlightenment and heart-swelling conviction? Remember dark valleys of rebellion and heartbreak? Rejection and heaviness. Weariness and despair?
But I remember You. I will remember You.
Remember rantings and ramblings of frustration. of Excitement. Ha ha!
But You quiet me. Thank You for Your love.

I'm just remembering.
heh.
: )

You are my JOY.

And I cannot hold it in and remain composed.

Love's taken over me and so I propose... to letting myself go.

I am letting myself go.

You are my JOY!

Hoorah.

Hoorah for random adventures.
     Closed coffee shops.
     New Year's Eve's Eve Nathan Phillip's Square prayer for peace. hahaha
     Jazz and nachos.
     Coffee and confused wanderings.

Hoorah for Queen street breakfast at Bonjour Brioche.

Hoorah for driving and driving and driving 'til its too foggy to drive anymore.

Hoorah for dduk guk every day for a week.

Hoorah for soaking your feet in hot grapefruit-guava-smelling water with bubbles and candles (haha!) + girl-talking for 3 hours with two of your favourite sisters.

Hoorah for answered prayers. More than just answered prayers.

Hoorah for big promises and dreams.

Hoorah for diving in the deep end. For stepping out of the boat.




Hoorah for new things. For rivers running through the desert. Let them flow.

The long awaited rains have fallen hard upon the thirsty ground
And carved their way to where the wild and rushing river can be found
And like the rains I have been carried here to where the river flows

My heart is racing and my knees are weak as I walk to the edge
I know there is no turning back once my feet have left the ledge
And in the rush I hear a voice that's telling me its time to take the leap of faith
So here I go

I'm diving in, I'm going deep, in over my head I want to be
Caught in the rush, lost in the flow, in over my head I want to go
The river's deep the river's wide the river's water is alive
So sink or swim I'm diving in

There is a supernatural power in this mighty river's flow
It can bring the dead to life and it can fill an empty soul
And give a heart the only thing worth living and worth dying for

But we will never know the awesome power of the grace of God
Until we let ourselves get swept away into this holy flood
So if you'll take my hand, we'll close our eyes and count to three and take the leap of faith
Come on lets go

So sink or swim,
I'm diving in.


Steven Curtis Chapman.

Hillmount Adventures.

So I'm volunteering again at Hillmount with the grade 3-4 class.
Kids are so great.
HAHA.

>>>
I'm marking their English workbooks...

Exercise: Replace the words in boldface type with its definition.
Q: The stranger grabbed a rapier.
A: The stranger grabbed a thing that you rape something with.
Correction: A rapier is a sword.

-.-;; AIYA.

Lesson: Writing the names of places with capital letters.
Q: In which province do you live?
A: I live in Ontario.

Q: In which lake or river could you go swimming?
A: I don't go swimming in lakes or rivers. I go swimming in pools.

HAHAHAHA. Some kids just answer the question honestly and not according to the lesson. Could not would, my friend. HAHAHA.

>>>
Yesterday, the grade 3s did a "Streamer Dance" to a flute and harp song for music class.
Mrs. Simpson took a look at the list of songs and chose this one because it stood out. The instructions in the lesson book said, "have the children dance with streamers".

"How about this one, Jessica? It sounds interesting."

Uh, are you serious? "Yeah! That sounds like fun." Of course, ... I didn't actually lie. I mean... I convinced myself that it'd be entertaining enough.

She asked me to cut up some long strips of coloured tissue paper and bring it downstairs to the music room. HAHA.
I mean who actually does what they suggest in these books anyway? Old and outdated?

I joined them downstairs. She was making them listen to the song through once first. Afterwards, she asked them a few questions.
"Who can tell me what instruments are playing?"
"How is this song different than "Animal Fair?"" (The song they did last week)
"How does this song make you feel?"
"What does this song remind you of?"

"A dove flying over a rainbow."

"Riding a bicycle through the flowers in springtime."

"Watching a ballet."

Yo. These kids are deep. Or they have a really creative imaginations. Or they watch too much TV. Maybe they read a lot of books. Neato.

Then she told them what they'd be doing today.
A few kids were excited. Actually... it was FOUR to be exact. And the only four people who were answering the questions earlier.
They came up to the front of the class and waved around two long pieces of neon green tissue paper to the melody of the song. haha.
Some of the kids laughed.
Some others wanted to try.
Some really didn't want to at all.

A lesson in teaching: How does a teacher facilitate this lesson so that everybody participates?

Swee stood there thinking for a moment. At first she tried to make them. She pointed at four random kids and said, "Okay, your turn. Go!" But a few refused.

Hmmm.

She decided she would make each child have a go with the streamers, four at a time, rotating around the classroom. It was their choice to go up to the front or stay seated. It worked brilliantly. Because you just knowwwwww that everyone wanted to play with the streamers. But some were too cool for going up to the front.

They had a lot of fun.
And surprisingly, they were really good at matching their motions with the mood and expression of the music.

I guess it worked out after all.
I guess you can't really judge lesson plans as corny before you try them on children first. Because they find things fun, exciting, and entertaining when you don't.
Either way, like it or not, the teacher must be enthusiastic about it. You gotta convince them that it's ridiculously fun and exciting. Hahaha. Yea. I had my turn with the streamers too. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

>>>
Swee (Mrs. Simpson) told me about Mrs. Liu. How she's not really open to new ideas. Or anything that's a challenge. She likes things that are simple. Unfortunately both their classes work really close with each other because they both have 3/4 classes. For Remembrance Day, Swee wanted to try something new, with kids doing solos and other interesting stuff with the Flanders Fields poem recitation. But Ms. Liu just wanted it simple. Just recite it all together once through. That's it.

And for the holiday craft, Swee managed to get enough mugs (left over from the Special Olympics. It's white with red logo and pictures of people doing sports) for three classes. Yea it's not exactly christmas-y, but you can work with it. Like put tea bags or hot chocolate in it, wrap it up, etc, etc. Ms. Liu didn't like the idea. She just wanted to make multi-cultural cards. Swee thinks that kids don't always do anything with the cards. they don't have someone to give it to. But she gave in. Well... as she put it, 'Sometimes, when you work with someone else, one of you needs to bend.'

Naturally, my answer was, "What about the kids?"
She said sometimes you need to judge what's the greater priority. And in this situation her greatest priority was keeping a good relationship with Ms. Liu. She'll use other opportunities to allow the kids to explore their potential.

Okay.

Note to the future teacher self:
Don't forget: Kids can do more than you think they can. Don't settle for the simple. Stretch yourself for the sake of challenging and stretching and developing your kids. Be open. and Have fun while you're at it.

Fun.