Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Summer Part 2- "slight detour" through Gettysburg

My dear hubby answered my need to be a little "spontaneous" and we took the long way home through Ohio and Pennsylvania so I could see new parts of the world and drive through Gettysburg!  

This storm was fun to watch develop, though it ended up bringing several tornadoes to Indy while we were driving through.

Coming into the gorgeous mountains in PA!!!!!

Gettysburg- What a moving place is all I can say.  I am so glad we went even though we couldn't really afford to do much or stay long, it was a place I've always wanted to stand.  Much more moving than I knew, and I understand the battle itself much more now!
























 This had the Gettysburg address on it!



Summer 2014- Part 1 :) to Illinois once again

Summer started with Matthew and Barbara challenging me to a game of Sorry.  As usual, Matthew wins! :)

Rob & I headed out immediately after our work on the last day to head to Illinois to see my family.  I ADORE my niece; being an aunt is just beyond words!  This kid loves her Uncle Rob too!






Oh Iowa & Illinois, how I miss you sometimes!

"my" river- I miss this river too! 
An awesome rainbow while we were there!  Plus I found out that my phone would take panoramic shots- who knew! :)




Monday, July 07, 2014

Fighting back...

I may be fed up, angry, hurting...

BUT...

I am also fighting back. This last year, especially, I have been in the gym faithfully (except for a couple periods of a week or two where grad school was insane!) 4-6 times a week.  I work with a trainer, and I work out on my own.  I work out HARD too, and I leave the gyms most days soaked in sweat and nauseous like you wouldn't believe from my workouts.  The scale moved a lot, but then has stuck, but I haven't quit even though I get really ticked at the scale and me many days.  I am NOT a quitter so I keep going.

I finished my degree, and even when the going got tough and I doubted I would make it, I didn't quit but kept plugging away at it.  While working full time and going to the gym and trying (not sure I was much good) to be part of a family.

I made a work change trying to help myself combat signs of burn-out, and I am not sure how that will all play out in the end.  I needed a change and was very blessed in many ways this year by amazing parent support.  The school atmosphere was very different in many positive ways, but it is not easy being the new one or the outsider.  Not sure if it will be better this next year or not.  I am not a fan of loneliness, and I definitely felt lonely many, many days.

I'm still fighting.  I'm still telling that "evil Rebekah" that the way she sees things isn't always true or accurate, that she isn't all that junk she thinks she is, that it doesn't matter what others say/think/do, what matters is how I live my life on a daily basis.  I am trying oh so hard to stay focused on the positive things in my life:


  • God is love so I might just have a chance if I fix some things and keep trying.
  • My husband's love has never failed me.  He has been with me through so many things and I know I can trust him with my true self.
  • My kids have grown up into fine young adults.  I am so very proud of who they are.  They are each unique, amazing people who add to my life and bring me so much joy.  I am so grateful I got to be their mom. 
  • I am an aunt to Zoe.  Those five few words mean the world to me!!!!
  • I have loved and been loved by hundreds of kids in my time as a teacher.  Not too many people can say that.  I just pray that the love and care I've been able to share has truly made a life-long difference.
  • I have an extended family who has taught me much and given me many wonderful memories, and I hope that I can continue to be as much a part of their lives as is possible from 1,000 miles away.
  • My needs are met and many, many of my wants. I have a roof over my head, food on the table, clothes on my back, a job to pay the bills, a vehicle to get me where I need to go.  
  • I live in a country that gives me freedom and rights that are not found in many other places. I am able to make choices for myself and my life that many women in the past and in the present all over the world don't get to make.
  • I have only to look around me and see God's beautiful creation all around, from the flat prairie-land/farmland of the Midwest that I get to visit once in a while, to the mountains and ocean of the East and the beauties to found in many other places I hope to visit.  From the beautiful sunrises and sunsets to the amazing moon and stars that shine at night.  The owl that I hear in our neighborhood sometimes and the cicadas and crickets that sing at night.  Butterflies, cardinals and bluebirds, dragonflies, flowers, oh so many, many flowers....  and in the smiles and laughter of children. God's beauty is all around me, and I try to take a moment each day to enjoy some of it.
  • In the end, I see the best and worst of humanity on any average day.  As a teacher I've seen and heard a lot, and I know that I have a lot, so very, very much, to be thankful for.  And I am.

I will not quit this fight of mine.  Though I get discouraged, get very frustrated with myself, I am determined to improve myself.  So I will.  I just have to learn to extend myself a little more patience and to forgive myself when I don't measure up. I also have to learn to not take on what others say, think, or expect of me if it doesn't fit with what I need or know.  Just 'cuz someone says I should..... doesn't mean I have to or should.  Yeah, that's going to be quite a learning experience!

R

So tired...

So tired.

Of pain.
Of sleepless nights.
Of guilt- oh so tired of guilt!
Of feeling like a bad ______ (fill-in-the-blank, I've probably felt it).
Of growing in my strength and stamina and ability at the gym, and shrinking ever so slightly each month, but seeing the scale not move a bit.
And of doctors who don't think I'm not really trying at all when I leave the gym nauseous, sweat-soaked, and tired from working hard all on my own.
Of cliques.
Of not fitting in.
Of trying to do my job as unto Christ, and not get in the rumor mill/gossip loop/little hen's club... and still end up not getting it "right."
Of people saying they want me to be who I am, but then not liking it when I am and it's not what they want or who they think I am or ought to be.
Of the judgements of others, and especially from people who I thought wouldn't judge me or mine.
Of knowing I don't measure up to what a true Christian should be and being so afraid I won't "get in" someday.
Of feeling like God can't be proud of me and is probably sick of the sight of me most days.

I'm mad inside, and I don't like being mad.  Never have.  Don't know what to do with the mad.  Feel guilty for being mad.  I know, I'm a mess, right?  I am.  I want to flip people off sometimes, and if I am honest, sometimes I do out of sight where no one can see or in my head.  I'm not proud of that, not bragging, but God knows it anyway and some already think I've fallen from grace (and I'm pretty sure most of the time I have too) so I might as well be honest and say the truth.  No need for hypocrisy if I'm journaling, right?

I want to shout, "STOP!" at people who stare, laugh, make rude comments.  I want to tell some people, "I'm not who you think I am. I am me, not the person you want me to be or who I used to be or anyone else.  I'm just me.  Fat slob of a person who is learning to be quieter, working to be less 'fat slob' and more 'overweight, but not totally hideous person'... who loves kids, laughs a lot and is obnoxious loud with her laugh sometimes, who doesn't like to be noticed or the attention-getter (is actually physically ill and terrified of that), but doesn't want to be ignored either."

I am mad at others who have judged me by my size, by my facial gestures or the fact that I'm not energetic/bubbly/excited first thing in the morning.  I'm mad at being compared to my colleagues or to some standard that isn't who I am.  I'm tired of being judged by info that may or may not be as accurate as some think it is. I'm tired of feeling like I don't belong anymore.  I'm tired of feeling like I've let people down (whether I have or not, who knows, but the vibe is there sometimes and it hurts). I'm mad at feeling like I don't measure up sometimes to other people's wishes or expectations.

Mostly, I am mad, super pissed at myself.  For letting myself become this fat blob of a human being, for causing myself physical pain that won't go away and won't get fixed anytime soon, if ever.  Mad at myself for hurting myself inside, for hating myself so much, for not forgiving myself hardly ever.  Every time my knees or back hurt, which is constant now, I get angrier at Rebekah.  Every time someone stares or laughs or points at my backside or just is downright rude at smirks at me to my face, I get madder inside.  Every time I have an awkward conversation with someone I used to be close to or "should" (their should or mine) be close to, I feel angrier at me.  Yeah, I'm REALLY tired of "should"- I use that word a lot and it's totally getting on my nerves!

R

personal journaling

I doubt there's anyone who even comes here to read anymore since I haven't been blogging in ages due to grad school taking over life.  On the off chance someone is reading this, I just wanted to say that I'm going to go back to what I was doing, which was using this as my journal.  I've been fighting some of my own mental health "monsters," and think that journaling is something I need to do for myself.  That said, I've come a long way in the last year in my physical and mental health.  I came to a point last year where I was tired of myself and the little nasty voice in my head that Rob & I call "evil Rebekah."  I was doing so well too, even with the pressures of moving to a new school and working with new people, leaving dearly loved children/families behind, finishing a masters' degree and thesis, our daughter moving out which was good but another adjustment in a busy life, health issues, and adding the gym and rigorous workouts into my schedule. Some things have kind of derailed me emotionally lately, and I find myself dealing with the same old battles in my head again. So here I go- I have to beat that mean girl in my head.  She cannot win!


Beka

Thursday, June 12, 2014

I made it!

It just hit me that tomorrow I will say goodbye to another group of kiddos.  I've been sooooo busy doing report cards, going through portfolio folders again and again and again and again...., finishing scoring assessments, making awards, making & binding the kids' memory books, putting together this year's class movie, blah, blah, blah..... It just didn't really "hit" me until this afternoon.

Tomorrow will be another crazy busy day- writing the last round of thank you letters, our last PE class, doing some clean up chores, playing board games/craft time, lunch, extra recess, snowcones, and then viewing our class movie complete with popcorn!  After school I will have a little party with my Friday helpers- sooo excited about that!  I have a small gift for each of them, and I hope they will like it.

Then I have to tear the room apart, move the furniture, clean & organize and pack it all away by Tuesday at noon.

I am sooooooooooooooooooo tired!

But I survived my first year at a new school.  It was a good year.  An interesting year.  A fun year.  A year filled with laughter.  A lonely year.  A growing year for me in so many ways.

So thankful for the many, many learning opportunities I have had this last year.  Thankful for the love and support so many of my school families have shown me.  So thankful I survived it all!

Goodbye my firsties!  I will love you always!

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Almost there

Taking a quick mini brain-break between chapters of the thesis... I have so many emotions and thoughts as I'm ending this big chapter of my life.  Before you read on (if anyone is here besides my brain and me), I'm not crazy- well not medication/hospital/lock-me-up-and-put-me-away crazy anyway, not yet.  But in my head there are two Rebekah's- one my hubby calls "Evil Rebekah" and the new one that is learning to like herself at least a little somedays.  We've been having quite the conversations lately.

  • Oh my word,  I have so much to do still!  You're going to fail at the end.  Shut up, I am NO quitter!
  • I can't believe the end is almost here! Wow, you've managed to do it!
  • I am going to make it. :)  Am I going to make it? 
  • Wow, me!!! I am writing a thesis!   Yeah, well you've had to look pretty stupid to some people for all your dumb questions & your struggles with that stupid lit review, and it probably isn't much of a thesis.  It's not like it's a "real thesis" anyway that you had to defend. Yeah, well whatever it is, I did it, and I am going to graduate.  They don't let stupid people earn masters' degrees you know!
  • I always said I wasn't smart enough to get a masters' degree, and now I'm less than a month from completing one.  How can that be possible?
  • Graduation?!?!  Why did I say I'd march?  I have to walk in front of a large crowd and put myself out there in front of others.  What was I thinking????
  • I don't want all the attention.  I just want to get my diploma, get a photo with my kids and my niece, chat with my family about anything not-me and go back home.
  • I want to attend my commencement because it's the right thing to do.  I worked hard for this and should take a minute to be proud of myself.  If it were my kids I'd bug them to go.  I will regret it later if I don't.  I'm setting a good example for my three young adults who will remember this.  A family memory, a moment they can be proud of their mom.
  • I'm setting a good example for my firsties who will remember the teacher they helped earn her degree and graduate.  Who knows how far that might go in their lives someday??? Maybe not, but then again, it might just help them.
  • It's not a big deal. Yes it is. No, it's not. Yes it is. No. Yes. No.....
  • I wonder if he knows.  Do I care? I wish he did know.  Would he be proud of me? What would he say?  Who cares, he died and you didn't do it for him.  But I wish I could tell him.  Get over it.  Well, I do.
  • It's just a degree, Rebekah.  Still, you've worked hard, and you never thought you'd even pursue one let alone earn one.
  • You've changed a lot, girl.  A LOT.  You don't listen to the evil me as much anymore.
  • This is the hardest thing I have ever done. I just want it to be over now.  Soon, girl, soon.  You're almost there.
  • Can I sleep please?????   NEVER!!! mwhahahaha

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Goals and accomplishments

Just about to wrap up this degree.  Getting majorly worn down and running on no sleep now, but I am also excited and absolutely terrified about the idea of walking across the platform in front of all those strangers. The cap and gown are paid for, the honor cords purchased, the vehicle reservation and dogs' boarding reservations made, the sub scheduled and confirmed...  if I can get it all done in the next ten days it's going to really happen.

But this morning what I want to remember is that I finally broke the 300 mark on the scale.  It took eleven months and a week, but I did it!  I've been waiting for days and days and days (about three weeks now) to see this number finally make its way onto the scale. :) My weight loss is more in inches and the scale will budge in bits.  It jumps several pounds at once and then it won't move again for weeks- very frustrating when a doctor and trainer think you're not trying hard enough or doing enough.

I keep reminding myself what I said all along because it's true, and I know myself better than anyone else.  I put this weight on slowly over twenty years, it needs to come off slowly so that I can keep it off and not do the lose/gain thing I've done over the years.  So it's not just that it took me 11 months and 1 week to lose over 50 pounds, but in 11 months and 1 week I have lost 50 pounds and KEPT IT OFF! :)

I'm so happy about this, but I don't have time to dwell on it more- a lit review, the creation/assembly of a thesis, a month-long lit unit all await my creation as well as taxes and lesson plans.  I'll be happy while I work and celebrate so many things in my life next month. :)