Born in the U.S.A.

I have been feeling extra patriotic the past week or so for two reasons.

Patriotism #1: I was Wendy Peffercorn for Halloween. One of the most classic American movies centered around America's favorite past time.

Patriotism #2: I attended Rick Perry's election watch party at a ranch wearing cowboy boots. I love Texas.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures to prove it but I was definitely there. Oh and I don't know anything about politics but I went because I was invited and I'm glad I went because it was fun! Now go listen to Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen...you won't regret it.

Halloween Monsters

In honor of Halloween, I involuntarily signed up to babysit monsters residing in the 6th grade in Austin, Texas. Friday (the 29th) was my first sub job of the year and to say that it was eventful is, well, a HUGE understatement. Let me just start from the beginning.

When I mapquested the location of the school, I quickly realized I might be in for more of a challenge than I thought. I have heard many people say that it can be difficult dealing with children from extremely low income areas because they have behavior issues due to their inattentive home life. Of course, that's not the case with every child but it's hard when the children aren't getting attention or support from home and they aren't held accountable for their behavior. So, this is when it gets fun. I got to the school in the morning and had to have the janitor open up my classroom door for me. As we were walking to the classroom, the janitor laughed and said, "you have the 6th graders? oh, they are going to be horrible!" Or something to that effect. Hoping it was just a crazy janitor talking, I blew it off as not a big deal. Then, the teacher whose portable was connected to mine came over and told me the class was absolutely horrible and that I was going to have a really difficult day. Awesome, I thought. This is going to be interesting. Then, I went to go pick up the monsters from the cafeteria and as we were waiting a teacher pulled me aside and told me the same thing. This class is absolutely horrible and tried to give me a few pointers but basically just said, "good luck!" with a smile. THEN during the assembly, the principal calls out the 6th grade class and tells them that if she hears any bad reports from me that she would be extremely upset. A shout out/threat...from the principal...in front of the entire school...about how bad they are. I mean, how bad could could it possibly be? I'm sure these people are just burnt out and are being dramatic. HA!

Here I was, a young, blond substitute about to enter the wrath of 11 year old monsters.

I made a fool of myself from the very beginning trying to call role. If you ever sub, make sure you go over the role before you are saying it in front of the class. There was a lot of literal spelling that sounds like it looks. You know how you get frustrated with spelling rules when you are young and you wished everything was spelled like it looks? Well, these parents rebelled against ALL spelling rules and regulations. Trynadei pronounced Trinity...yes.

I had been forewarned about one particular child and the beginning of the class was rough but not terrible. Unfortunately, one of the other boys started taunting him so he decided to start flicking him and the whole class off, threatening to beat him up and using extremely colorful language. During the first test (she left 4 tests...who knows), the adjoining teacher next to me told me to let the 2 little girls who couldn't speak a lick of english get on the computer to play games. I thought for sure they'd be playing educational games to help them learn english. Nope, just games...for 3 hours. Oh and during the reading test, the really really really bad kid is at a 1st grade reading level so they let him skip the test and play games, too. But of course instead of playing games he got on youtube and was looking at inappropriate rap videos with half naked women. Really?

All day the kids were talking, throwing things, getting up out of their seat and doing whatever the heck they felt like doing. When a kid doesn't blink at the idea of having to go to the office, what am I supposed to do/say to make him stop? Luckily, the day slowly came to the end and they were on their way to "specials" when one of the other boys decided to call 9-1-1 from our classroom. All of these things were happening just as I would turn around after getting onto other children who were misbehaving. Obviously I'm not letting children watch rap videos and call people with me standing there witnessing it. For the first time in my life, I was summoned to the principal's office and the principal was literally interrogating the child and using military tactics to make him confess. "I DO NOT LIKE LIARS!!! YOU BETTER NOT BE LYING TO ME!!!!!" She acted like a drill sergeant and I ws so uncomfortable.

I really never raised my voice or got stressed out all day because it made me sad to think that these kids are most likely getting yelled at at home, too. I know there is a better way to reach a child but it's hard when there are 20 other kids acting up as well. It made me realize there is a HUGE need for children to having mentors and role models especially in that environment. Most of those kids only have one parent at home and aren't taught a lot of things that should be taught to children. Overall, it was a crazyyyy day but I survived (!) and now I see every other sub job as extremely easy.

Who knew Halloween was going to come 2 days early?

Sigma Theta Chi

*****Disclaimer*****

If the thought of Sigma Theta makes you sick, don't keep reading.

I did something very symbolic tonight. It's a story for another blog but the guy I was dating this summer (homeslice and fredricksburg man) is no longer the person I'm dating but a good guy friend instead. It's a pretty sweet set-up if you ask me...we are still friends and we still hang out. He is awesome! For many, many reason's but especially awesome tonight. First, he came to my elementary volleyball game and then we hung out after our community group from church. When we dated, I always joked about how I needed to take off the EOX from the back of my car. He would jokingly reply with how we needed to have a ceremony or a formal dismissing of my past college memories. He realized that getting rid of something permanent like that needs a formal good bye. He was half joking of course but the other half was kind of serious because I think he knew there was a reason I still had my EOX sticker there. So, tonight he surprised me after Amy's ice cream with a razor and goo gone to officially get rid of my Siggie sticker and take a big girl step into the real world. =)

It's not that I purposefully kept it on there so I could live in the past but I subtly never made an effort to take it off. As much mess as I talk about that silly club, I love it. Tonight in the car ride home, I found myself reflecting back on Siggies and remembering all of the sweet memories I made with some people that I have grown to really love and respect.

I'll never (ever) forget the day in chapel that I nervously awaited for 30 minutes to slowly creep by so I could take the long and painful walk from Moody to the campus center to pick up my "packet." In the packet, there was a piece of paper that would forever change my college experience, the way I looked at the color yellow and the way I viewed my friends. After weeks of rushing, waiting, hoping and wishing I finally found out that I would get the chance to one day become an official member of Sigma Theta Chi.

But not so fast.

We first had to go through 6 weeks of panty hose wearing, sing song loving, siggie star performing initiation to appreciate the yellow and white pride. If it wasn't for those 6 weeks, I wouldn't be sitting here writing to you with a full heart about all those great times in club. Wearing the jersey for the first time in school, singing the secret song at the pass the key, placing the EOX sticker on your car and hearing the phrase "the women of sigma theta chi" at sing song wouldn't have been nearly as fun if we didn't have to first go through all of the traditions of being a pledge.

Thinking back on all of the friends I made because of Siggies is overwhelming. What would my college experience been like had I not done club? Being able to trace back those friendships specifically through Siggies makes me love the color yellow even more. I'm not afraid to admit that I loved Siggies more than I led people to believe. I'm sad to see the sticker go but I feel like the cheesy formal good bye (aka singing all of the songs to myself on the way home) was a very necessary process in the growing up phase of my life. This past year has been a year of growth, appreciation, love, trials, disappointments and happiness and I'm so glad that I have my siggie "sister's" on the other end of the phone supporting me 100% of the way no matter what!

"Our love will stay strong in this club we belong, Sigma Theta Chi."