The Last Four Weeks

                Just as a heads up, this posting will take you all over the place, so hold on.

The end of April is upon us, as we all begin to make decisions about next year. With only four full weeks of school left, I have come to the conclusion that I am not going to return to Sun Valley Indian School next year. This decision was made not based upon the people at the school, but upon the fact that I feel the need to further my career as an educator. I feel that God may be leading me to the public school system, but that path is not quite confirmed yet. Wherever I end up working next year, I know that my time at Sun Valley Indian School will never be regretted. This school has taught me patience, perseverance, and independence. I know that at this point in my life, God has equipped me with the skills to live on my own, and I am very glad.

                We have four and a half more weeks in this school year. Next week will consist of the TerraNova test. It’s really neat actually, as we are encouraged to test in the morning and do “fun activities” together in the afternoon. My class voted and we have agreed to spend our afternoons this week painting pots, planting summer flowers, making puppy chow, playing board games, watching “The Jungle Book”, and painting birdhouses. I love spending time with my kids, encouraging them to grow in maturity and in the Lord.

                I had a very interesting experience last week with my boy. A first grader ran up to me after recess and tattled on him yelling, “Ms. Matheny! He said f*** you to me!” Then, in quick defense, my boy shouted, “NO! I DID NOT!” I said, “Sweetie. Do not lie to me. I’ve heard that you have said that word several times in the dorm and I do not doubt that you just used it again.” He then told the truth and admitted to using the f*** word. I pulled out my sentence writing paper, as he would owe me bible verses during his recess times, due to his dirty mouth. He seemed very casual and not caring about it. This really irritated me! I pulled him aside and had a conversation with him about why he should NEVER use this word. I asked him if he knew what the f*** word meant, and he shook his head. We then had a conversation about it and I informed him that if he keeps using it, people will believe that he is a dirty boy with a dirty mouth. I explained that people, including adults, will look down upon him and not see him as the bright, kind boy that he is. It was actually an incredible conversation. He seemed very convicted as soon as he discovered just how nasty that word is, and he, without a fight, spent the rest of his recess times writing me 30 bible verses. I think that one of the problems with foul language these days is that children hear the words, but do not know the origins. They do not understand just how offensive the words are and how unintelligent those words make them sound. I just pray that he realizes that, despite how many adults or other children in his life use these disgusting words, they are not appropriate for his mouth, the mouth of a child of God.

                Last week was Spring Break. I spent the week down in the valley at my parent’s new place. It’s really comforting knowing that my parents now live just a few hours from me, in a house that they actually own. Due to being in the military for 26 years, this is the first house purchase that my parents have ever made. Their home is quite large and fancy, with two floors, three bathrooms, three bedrooms, a loft, and a huge kitchen. Just down the street is a community park, pool (with Jacuzzi!), and golf course. The week was spent sorting through childhood memories and high school items packed away nearly five years ago. I found various items I had forgotten about, including my air soft gun, kung fu uniform, cheerleading letter, ballet shoes, Barbies, and Polly Pockets. Whenever I go through old items from storage, it’s as if I’m opening a time capsule, and I roll my eyes thinking about things I took joy in several years back. But, nonetheless, it was fun and somewhat relaxing.

                Now that I am back on board for this final month, I am planning my upcoming travels. Next weekend a couple of my friends and I are heading up to Durango, where we will run in the Pueblo-to-Pueblo 10K (Tammy is running the 11 miler!), go camping for two nights, chill in the downtown area of Durango, and hike as much of Engineer Peak as we can manage! I’m very excited. In May a friend and I are planning on scrambling up Mount Humphreys. The beginning of June brings about Jenn’s wedding (which I will be a bridesmaid in). The day after her wedding, my parents and I will take off on a northwest adventure, spending time in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Victoria, Boise, Salt Lake City, and Vegas. Upon our return, we will then spend three days backpacking the Grand Canyon. The beginning of July brings about my brother’s wedding in Denver (which I will also be a bridesmaid in). I will then return to Denver two weeks later for a second reception.

                I love being a teacher, and I am looking forward to the next four weeks of school. However, I am also very appreciative that as a teacher, I get two months off in summer! This will be the first summer I have not worked in 10 years, and I am planning on fully enjoying it!

And a little P.S…

                There are so many points in my life when I want to just sit down and cry. I wonder why things are happening the way they are. I wonder why I am at the point in my life that I am. Then I look at my friends and my family. I look at Bethany in Phoenix, who took time out of her busy life to meet up with me three times during Spring Break. I look at Jenn in Flagstaff who allowed me to spend the entire weekend (as she so often does), crashing at her house. I look at my brother who sent me a weird picture of his future dog (a little thing) with a giant bone he bought her, knowing that even in the funny things of life, he includes me. I think of Amanda (Kurtis’ fiancé) who took time out of her trip to New York to send me a picture text of a chocolate martini (my favorite!) on the menu just to let me know she was thinking of me at that moment. It’s just really neat to see that, despite me current location, or even my future locations, I have friends and family who are awesome! Even here in Holbrook there are so many people who care. If I miss a Zumba class, my instructor texts me to see how I’m doing. In church this morning, several individuals inquired about my absences over the past couple of weeks. People say hello to me at the grocery store and even the guy at Taco Bell (I have random cravings for chicken burritos) has become a regular in my life. It’s just so neat to watch the world around me as I grow each day. It’s cool to see the way that connections are made and the little joys of every day. I love that three people knocked on my door today. I really have no point to the conclusion of this blog but to use it as a reminder throughout those times when I want to cry, that I need to keep pressing on. I write often and many of the things I write are so personal that they are never actually posted as a blog. I use these writings to remind myself of the way I really think in times when I’m disoriented. I use these writings as a way to remember the reasons in which I made certain decisions, and the way that I felt at certain moments. That is all.