Friday, October 30, 2015

Five on Friday: Halloween, Caffeine, & Big Dreams

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How is it already the last Friday in October? Time's flying, folks. This week's been full of iced coffee, baseball watch parties, and sweet celebrations with even sweeter friends. I haven't dressed up one time for work this week, thanks to the Royals and a faculty photo. Yesterday, I heard a kid in the hallway yell, "Mrs. Kleinmeyer looks like a teenager!" What he doesn't know is that I'm totally still a kid at heart. But I digress. Happy Friday, y'all. Here's hoping your weekend is full of non-professional dress, celebrations, and feeling youthful too! 


 1. Celebrations
There's been lots to celebrate lately! Not only has it been a gorgeous and unseasonably warm fall, but our dear sweet friends had their first baby, we went to the wedding of two church friends, and we've been cheering on our Royals in the World Series. We've had watch parties with friends and YoungLife kiddos, played Royal Bingo, and worn the same shirts multiple times for superstitious reasons. We love Kansas City all of the time, but it's been even more fun to see everyone here rallying behind a team that's making us super proud (even if it takes almost six hours and fourteen innings to get the win). We've been a little sleepy and coffee dependent lately, but there's nothing quite like the excitement around here right now, especially with a 2-0 lead. Looking forward to another family wedding and somebody turning the big 2-5.
Photo: Lacey Rene Studios
2. Exciting Announcement
I am so excited and honored to announce that I've been accepted as one of the newest contributors to His Endless Love. This blog is a self-proclaimed "small ministry, filled with Jesus-seekers who write to inspire, encourage, and empower women to live, love, and lead". How cool is that? These goals are totally in line with my blog tagline: Love Fiercely, Learn Fearlessly, Live Fully. I shared a guest post on the site a month ago, and will now be writing a post for them once a month. It's made of some amazing and encouraging women (yay for community!) and I couldn't be more excited about the chance to share my heart and my words in hopes of ministering to others and sharing honest conversation.
3. Halloween 
If you drive by our house on Saturday and all our lights are off, Aaron and I aren't being Halloween grinches, we're just busy making and handing out popcorn at our church's annual Trunk or Treat. (Also, sorry that our pumpkins have already rotted and or been eaten by squirrels. We tried.) For the past four years of this fun little outreach, we've shown up in a couples costume and have had a blast sharing snacks with the community. If you're curious, or looking for last minute ideas, our previous costumes have been fairly creative: 1. Burger King and Queen. 2. Wolf and Red Riding Hood. 3. Mouse and Cheese. Yes, I seriously wore the outfit above, rod across my back and all. No shame: it was quite comfortable and warm. This year, we're showing up as Justin and Avery: the time travel tour guides I came up with who led music at Vacation Bible School this year. We're pretty excited to be making a comeback! And remember, we'll get you there just in time, avery time (wink wink).

Justin and Avery Time in action this summer. We have a CD if you'd like a copy. But really :)
4. High School Friends
Last night I had the pleasure of getting together for a long overdue girls' night with three high school friends. It's such a joy to share gringo dip, laughter, memories, and all those inside jokes and stories that drive other people crazy when non-high school friends are around. Thankful for these sweet ladies, their husbands, their babies, and the way in which we can always pick right back up where we left off. Crazy to think that's it been almost NINE YEARS since we all walked the same halls together. (What?!). Excited to see all that is to come in the next nine, and to make these get-togethers into more regular occurrences.
These aren't my high school friends. This is us celebrating our 2nd Anniversary with all our VBS friends. You caught me.
5. Dreaming Big
I know I've shared here and there about the ministry of YoungLife and my involvement with it. This week marks the two year anniversary since we "re-started" YoungLife club in the area, and it has truly been such a joy to see it grow and flourish. I would've never dreamed that the club run by just my husband and me would become a party in an amazing basement space with twelve leaders in only two years. Not to mention the amazing kiddos that are seeing a vision and getting their friends involved. We have been absolutely blown away by the support of the community, and the parents are incredible. God is good, and I'm thankful that we get to be a part of His big picture for this area.

What have you been up to this week? I hope you've made time for fall snuggles, a chick flick or two, and maybe some pumpkin carving. Hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

Currently, 
Kelsie 

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

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When Blogging Becomes Ministry

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When Currently, Kelsie came to be back in mid-January, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. The world of link parties, round-ups, PicMonkey, and self-promotion were foreign to me. I didn't even have a Facebook page, or any idea where this blog would go. I simply knew that I had a heart to live fully in the moment, while also sharing stories, tips, and my heart for us all to learn fearlessly and love fiercely. 

Here we are, nine months later. I'm not writing today to share success or to celebrate an award. I'm not here to give you stats or ask you to follow me on social media. Today, I am here praising God for the way He has revealed to me that blogging can, in fact, be a form of ministry. Originally, I was be hesitant to believe that, but more and more I'm finding it to be true. I'm so thankful that the Lord has shown up in this little online space (and the spaces of so many amazing bloggers) and made them a home for these elements of ministry:

blogging as ministry

1.  Wrestling with Brokenness

A large part of any ministry is the opportunity (and need) to be vulnerable and real with one another. It's hard to advance the kingdom or lead people to the Lord without first acknowledging our own brokenness and need for a Savior. Wrestling with this brokenness helps us remember to place God first, as we are constantly being redeemed and shown grace. This is my heart behind sharing my own brokenness and vulnerable stories in an effort to do just that. Blogging even offers an audience for this on a larger scale than previously possible.

2.  Face to Face Connections

One thing I've loved about blogging is just the chance to connect with others through comments. I love conversation, even if it's electronic, and it has been oh so fun to see the ways in which people relate to certain posts, ask questions, and provide much-appreciated encouragement. But one thing I've loved even more is the way that blogging has opened the door to so many in-person conversations. I am so blessed by and thankful for the readers out there who take the time to tell me in person that they really resonated with a post or were blessed by it. It has opened the door to some beautiful face to face conversations that I'm not sure would have ever happened otherwise. Pretty cool to see the way God can use my own measly words to connect with others, both online and in person.

3. Community

In order to thrive, all ministries need people who will live out their faith together. I see this on my YoungLife team on a daily basis, but I have been pleasantly surprised to find it in the blogging world as well. I am so thankful for all the wonderful Christian women who have bonded together with me through groups like The Alder Collective and The Peony Project, as well as through various link parties. It is so encouraging to find women with the same heart, and I hope to provide that sense of community here at Currently, Kelsie as well.


4. Relatable, Vulnerable Stories 

I have been absolutely floored by the way the Lord has brought just the right stories into place at the perfect time. It has truly been His provision and plan all along. This summer, I finally got the Moments section of the blog kicked off: a guest post space where others share a moment on anything from miraculously getting pregnant to what millennials are looking for in ministry. I was recently approached by someone thanking me for sharing Pam's recent guest post on adoption. It seems that their family had been waiting for years to adopt, and the post came at the perfect moment: a means of encouragement, God-ordained. Another post by Kacie went viral around her school, and all her students got a sweet reminder of just how awesome their teacher was. I could go on about all the wonderful stories that my amazing friends have shared, but just know this: God is at work through these relatable, vulnerable words we share on the world wide web (and through everything!).


5. An Outreach that Proclaims the Lord

As a YoungLife leader who has spent years and year investing in kids and loving them as they are, while sharing the hope that can be found in Jesus, I am used to being outspoken about my faith. But for some reason, I'm less likely to share this faith with people my own age. (Anyone with me?) It's not that I'm afraid, it's simply that I'm less gutsy and don't always feel like I have a good enough relationship with others to speak about my faith with them. Blogging has been so amazing in this way: I have been able to proclaim my faith through words to thousands of people of all ages. It's totally their choice to read or not, but I love knowing that God has a plan in this, and I hope and pray that those who visit may in some way be pointed back to Him. I can share the reason for my hope with no shame, and proclaim truth in a modern format that reaches a whole different audience than I would ever have reached before. So cool.

Let me just say this: blogging is not my sole form of ministry, and it never will be. I am definitely an extroverted people person who loves honest conversation and investing in the lives of others face to face. But it has been a beautiful journey as the Lord has unveiled the ways in which blogging can lead to this same concept of ministry, just in a different way. Wrestling with brokenness together, in a community full of people with relatable, vulnerable stories has been such a joy, and I hope and pray that the Lord continues to use this blog as a part of His plan. He is faithful.

Currently,
Kelsie

I'm linking up with Messy Marriage, Coffee for Your Heart, Giving up on Perfect, Women with Intention, Thought-Provoking Thursday, The Quintessential Mommy,  What Joy is Mine, Modest Mom Blog, A Fresh Start on a Budget, Word with Winter, Time Warp Wife, Painted Teacup, Tuesday Talk, Testimony Tuesday, Intentional Tuesday, Unite Linky, Tell it To Me Tuesdays, and Wholehearted Home.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

The Alder Collective Link Party #4

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It's Tuesday, it's feeling like fall, and it's the first game of this year's World Series (with the guys you can't help but love, our KC Royals)! Sounds like the perfect combo to me. This week my mind's been on travel, crockpot meals, and slow fall nights where I actually watch movies on weeknights (which never happens)! I hope you're having a wonderful week. So excited to have you here to link up and check out some other amazing blogs! 

 Currently, Kelsie


 Welcome to The Alder Collective Link Party! We're so happy you stopped by to show off your stuff. Before we jump into the party, check out what your hosts have been up to this week:
The Alder Collective Link Party
Clockwise from top middle:





Each week, we'll pin every link to the Alder Collective Link Party Pinterest board, where it will be seen by thousands of people. Here are our favorite links from last week's party:
The Alder Collective Link Party
Clockwise from top middle:

The most clicked link from last week:
PromoZeroMoney14

If we shared your post above, be sure to grab the "I Was Featured" button!
The Felicity Jar

The Rules

        • Make sure you're linking to the post, not to your home page, and leave no more than two links.
        • Only link up content created by you. No link parties, shops, or giveaways, please.
        • Follow all your hosts on at least one social media site, and be sure to grab our button to display somewhere on your site.
        • Share the love: visit and comment on as many links as you leave.
        • By leaving your link, you're giving the party hosts permission to share your content.
The Felicity Jar

Friday, October 23, 2015

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What Rejection Taught Me

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Rejection hurts. It's never fun to feel like you aren't wanted. Having someone tell you that they're going another direction, that they just aren't feeling the relationship, or even the unspoken rejection that can happen in a friendship is just so hard. And it can destroy any self-esteem you had in the blink of an eye.




I've been blessed. I have a great job I landed just out of college, a wonderful hubby who pursued me despite my hesitance, and some amazing friends and family. For a large majority of my youth, I skipped through life without encountering too much rejection (or without realizing that I had). My "worst" rejection had been feeling like a loser because guys never asked me to dances until senior year. But then, my freshman year of college came. 

I tried out to serve on the worship team at the church I attended. And they told me I wasn't what they were looking for. And it hurt. I had experienced a lot of success with singing in the past, and I felt rejected and disconnected from my hope at getting involved in ministry. I got over it. Then came the years of singleness in college, being turned down after final interviews for Mizzou '39, and being not quite good enough for people. But you know what? I learned a heck of a lot from it, and it made me a better person. And so many times, I was grateful for it in the end. So today, I'm sharing five things rejection has taught me. 

1. It's not all about me.

It's not a bad thing for us to be humbled sometimes. When we let our success go to our head and define us, it can become damaging and we can become people we don't even know anymore. Every now and then, even in small moments of rejection, I get a gentle reminder that I need to remove the focus from myself and back to loving others and loving God.


2. Don't give up.

Sometimes the best things in life are things we have to work for. Hard work and determination, along with the ability to try again, often reap huge benefits in our lives (and provide even more satisfaction than simply being given something the first time around). It's no secret that I coached softball this year, which was a ton of fun, but you know what? It was the SEVENTH coaching job that I'd applied for. I'd been turned down six times before (sometimes interviewing more than once for the same position in different years), and honestly had kind of given up as I felt God must be calling me elsewhere. It took a heck of a lot of vulnerability to put myself out there again, make it to the end, and then be turned away. But I never completely closed the door on it, and lo and behold, here came this softball job kind of out of nowhere. And it was a blast! In some situations, we can't give up on things we truly are passionate about (just ask Aaron about how persistent he was in dating me!).


3. Don't take things too personally. 

When someone gives you a no, doesn't come through, or makes you feel unwanted, it's easy to get pretty upset. Too often, I've found myself feeling down when people don't seem to want to be with me or when I feel like my efforts at forming a new friendship are one-sided. But you know what? Dwelling on that and placing the blame on myself for something I really can't control or change isn't going to do any good at all. None. So in some situations, rejection has taught me to let go, move on, and channel my energy elsewhere, without taking it too personally.

4. If you always get what you think you want, you'll never know what you could've had.

Case in point, I received a rejection letter from a school district the very day that I was hired by my own school district. If I would've been offered that job (at a district I didn't really want), I would have had to decide whether to take a job just have to have one, or take a chance, wait, and not necessarily have a job at all. Thankfully, the timing of it all was perfect, and I got offered a job at my now school the day I interviewed. I also think this has totally applied to me in the relationship world, as I was broken up with multiple times over the years. This hurt, but I would have completely missed out on the gift of Aaron if the breakups and rejection hadn't happened along the way. Sometimes we just don't even know what we want, and what we think we want isn't always what is best! Which leads me to my last point...and the biggest thing rejection is continuously teaching me.


5.  God's plan is bigger and better than our own. Always.

Amen to this one, again and again. Just when I think I have life all figured out, God goes and throws me for a loop. I am constantly reminded of how small and insignificant I am, and how big and wonderful He is. And I'm thankful that so many times, God is leading me down a path that involves rejection because He knows how much more He is saving for me. So when I worry about friends, or opportunities, or people saying they don't want me, I can remember that the most important person and creator there ever was (or ever will be) DOES want me. That He chooses me on a daily basis, despite my imperfections and weakness. And if a good, loving God wants me, then the rejections of this world really aren't all that big, especially when He uses them as a way to call me to the things HE has in store for me.

And so, dear friends, I hope that you can relate to and learn from these ideas. I hope that they give you peace and comfort in times of hard rejection. And I hope most of all that you continue to find your worth in the Lord, and in Him alone. He is in control, and I promise that His plans for you are much bigger than you could ever dream. So hold on. You ARE wanted, and worth it, and known. 

Currently,
Kelsie

Thanks so much for stopping by today! If you'd like to join our community, sign up for the newsletter here. I'd love to continue the conversation on our Facebook page, or in the comments below. Blessings to you! 


Wednesday, October 21, 2015

A Moment with Aaron: What Millennials Want

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Today's guest poster is pretty near and dear to my heart...it's my sweet hubby, Aaron. I love not only the story of how the Lord brought us together, but also life with Aaron in general and the way he continuously challenges me to be my best and to also chase after the Lord together with all that we have. His passion for life, for the Lord, and for others is contagious, and I am blessed to spend life with him and share his words today.

What Millennials Want (And a Prayer)

 I have watched more and more people my age turn away hard from the church. Yet, on the other hand, I have watched more people my age dive head first into serving Christ. As I cross over into my later 20’s, these thoughts have been on my heart for a while now. As I seek to continue to make much of Christ, I want to stress that these points are simply observations I have made. It is an extremely touchy topic to discuss. I would like to also note that these points do not encompass 100% of my generation. In fact, I would argue that my generation hates being put into an assumption. So here is my best effort to try and explain millennials and the church.

 Father in heaven,

  
 We want vision. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” - Proverbs 29:18

 I have witnessed too many hard working church leaders with no vision. No clear ending to what they are doing. Their daily grind becomes monotonous and lifeless.


 engrain your vision in my soul and on my heart.


 Let’s face it, every inch of our journey should be mapped out by the vision we have. If not, why are we still inching forward? Look at how Eugene Peterson writes out Proverbs 29:18, “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.”

 I want to see what You are doing.



We want to see disciples being made.The Gospel is a visionary story. One that takes people who once had their own vision for their life and gives them a new one. One that takes people who are blind and allows them to see anew. Christ’s vision for our life: make disciples. Stop searching. You need not look any farther. Christ said, “Go make disciples.” That was his vision for your life. If we see that the church is not making disciples, we feel people do not see Christ for the real treasure He is.

 And recognize the treasure You are.


In turn, we recognize when things aren’t real. We want authenticity. We have grown up in a world where everything is trying to grab our attention. Everything. We have been exposed to so much advertisement that we have had no choice but to learn to decipher and understand what is real or not. Some of us possess this skill more than others, but I digress.

We ask ourselves quite often, “Is this worth my time?”

Honestly, is it? Is what is happening in and around the church meaningful enough to take notice? With a set vision, tuned to Christ and the Gospel he has offered, you better believe it is worth everyone’s time. There is no power greater than Christ and the Gospel.

You are more than worth my time; I will give you every breath.


 I am often times telling kids that the only thing that they can control is themselves and the work they put in. So cliche'! But so true!

We are focused on excellence. Is the church focused on excellence? We are easily distracted and when something isn’t done right we notice. I have attended a lot of church services where it was obvious there was no apparent intentionality behind what was happening. This is troublesome.

In Malachi 1, the Lord is speaking about putting forward your best offering. He goes as far as saying those that don’t give their best offering he finds no pleasure in. That's scary.


I will give you the best I have to offer at any cost.


The Gospel is an excellent story and deserves to be presented in an excellent way. I have been transformed by an excellent Gospel, therefore I will do all things that I can control with excellence.

“Aaron, are you trying to say we earn our salvation by the excellent work we have done?” Nope. I am saying others might see Christ and His excellent Gospel through the excellent ways you present it. Thus, making disciples.

Because you saved me at great costs.


As Christians, we must rely heavily on Christ. If there is one thing that I have learned from the small amount of time I have spent in structured ministry work, it is that Christ will do the winning. He has simply invited us along, given us a vision, and asked us to do what we can with excellence. Leave the rest to Him. Amen?

Amen.


I love that idea: that we are simply invited along and given a vision to be a part of the Lord's work. It has been so interesting to see the ways in which our generation has both engaged and disengaged from the church as a result of our desire for vision, authenticity, and excellence. How have you seen this in your generation, and in the generation of millennials? 

Currently, Kelsie

I'm linking up with Messy Marriage and Wholehearted Home. 

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The Alder Collective Link Party #3

5 comments  
Hi sweet friends! Hope you're having a wonderful Tuesday. It's been an amazing day for me, with Gifted Communication Arts planning, Panera lunch, iced coffee, and a huge KC win that puts us one win away from the World Series. (Throw in a work out and super nachos with my hubby, and it's basically the perfect day!) Welcome back to week three of the Alder Collective Link Party! So happy you're here! 


Welcome to The Alder Collective Link Party! We're so happy you stopped by to show off your stuff. Before we jump into the party, check out what your hosts have been up to this week: The Alder Collective Link Party
Clockwise from top:
Each week, we'll pin every link to the Alder Collective Link Party Pinterest board, where it will be seen by thousands of people. Here are our favorite links from last week's party:
The Alder Collective Link Party
Clockwise from middle top:
The most clicked links from last week:
The Alder Collective Link Party
The Alder Collective Link Party
If we shared your post above, be sure to grab the "I Was Featured" button!
The Felicity Jar

The Rules

      • Make sure you're linking to the post, not to your home page, and leave no more than two links.
      • Only link up content created by you. No link parties, shops, or giveaways, please.
      • Follow all your hosts on at least one social media site, and be sure to grab our button to display somewhere on your site.
      • Share the love: visit and comment on as many links as you leave.
      • By leaving your link, you're giving the party hosts permission to share your content.
The Felicity Jar

Monday, October 19, 2015

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Venice in Two Days: The Travel Guide

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Back when we headed off on our sixteen day adventure through Europe, I had no idea what was in store. When we returned, people were always asking us which place was our favorite. Of course this question was super hard to answer, because there was gorgeous and amazing Ireland, as well as the modern city of London, but then....Italy. Oh Italy, you truly were my favorite. And you know what city blew me away much more than I expected it to? Venice. So here it is friends, the guide to travel, hotels, and attractions in Venice!
If you'd like to have a GPS-Guided version of this article, check out the app on GPSmyCity!

Venice Rialto Bridge 

Traveling in and Out of Venice

There are several different ways to start your trip in Venice. We came in on a train from Geneva (which offered some of the most beautiful views of Italy that you could ever see). The train is the best way to enter the city, because it's cheap. If you try to drive, you'll end up paying decent money to park a car, which you can't drive around the city anyways, since no cars are allowed. (I wouldn't even mess with a car in Italy, unless you're renting a Vespa to drive the Tuscan countryside.) Eventually you will have to take a train, bus, or ferry anyways to get into the actual city of Venice, so I recommend taking the train from elsewhere in Italy or Europe if at all possible. I booked everything through Trenitalia instead of Rail Europe, and it was a lot cheaper. Just make sure you switch the website to English! When you're booking your train, make sure that your final destination is Venezia Santa Lucia, and not Venezia Mestre. The Mestre stop is not actually on the island yet, and is more like a suburb.  

If you fly, you'll go into Marco Polo Airport. We didn't use this airport, but it's a decent ways north and east of Venice. If you do fly in (as it's your first stop in Italy), you'll be able to take either a water bus (which will take about an hour), or a shuttle bus (20-25 min). Look at the pricing carefully, as the public water buses are much much cheaper than private ferries. You can also take a bus to the train station and come in that way. 

couple in Venice
Inner-City Transportation

Since Venice doesn't allow cars (and has the tiniest little "street" alleyways you ever did see), inner-city transportation obviously looks a little different. Yes, you could walk everywhere in Venice if you wanted. But because there are 177 canals in Venice, there are also 177 bridges, and reaching those bridges may mean you're walking wayyyy out of your way! The answer to this problem? The unlimited transportation passes for buses and waterbuses. Depending on your length of stay, you'll want to pick up a 1, 2, 3, or 7 day pass from the Venezia Unica website, or right there from the booth once you reach Venice (they are right outside the train station). Some passes are "all-inclusive", and can also include transport to and from the airport if you need that!

Venice bridge

If you're between the ages of 6 and 29, you're in luck! Get the Rolling Venice Card for 6 euros, and then your transportation passes become much cheaper! We got the three day youth pass, which was 22 euros with the purchase of the Rolling Venice pass, instead of 40 euros. So a grand total of 28 euros (about $31 a person), got us around the city for our entire stay. If you're coming from the airport, you can get a three day pass plus round trip transfer for only 34 euros. Basically, if you're under 29, you've GOT to get the Rolling Venice pass! 


Also, be sure to pick up a map. Street names are literally on the side of the buildings, and navigating Venice can be confusing sometimes. Be sure to get the CityMaps2Go app so you can navigate offline with your phone.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Five on Friday: Homers, Headaches, and High Fives

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It's Friday, dear friends! Wahoo! Safe to say that this Friday couldn't have come soon enough, as this has been a super exciting, tiring, strange week full of lots of fun and unexpected moments, complete with come-from-behind wins and trips to the bathroom. Even if you aren't a sports fan, it's easy to caught up in the fun, and I'm loving it. Check out this week's highlights, including conferences, a day off, and lots to celebrate! 
Let's Go Royals! Cheering at a game in early September.
1. We're back again! 
Y'all, post-season baseball is FUN with a capital F. Last year, our KC Royals won a crazy, come from behind, everyone thought it was over Wild Card game. This lead to a roller coaster of a playoff run where we literally didn't lose a single game until the World Series. Let me put it this way...Aaron and I made a joking bet the night of the Wild Card game that if the Royals won the World Series then we would have a baby. Let's just say, when the Royals were in game seven with Gordon 90 feet away from scoring, our bet was feeling just a bit scary :) I'm sure we weren't the only ones making such a bet, and I would guess there are a few other making the same bet this year! Hoping that the Royals will take care of business and win it all this year. Either way, these boys are fun to watch, and their awesome comeback and eventual clinch against the Astros has our whole city shooting off fireworks, shaking champagne bottles, and celebrating nightly in new playoff gear. I love my city, and it's even more fun and special right now!
Getting on the Kiss Cam at the Royals is on Aaron's Bucket List. No success this summer.
2. The end of it all.
It's never fun to see a bunch of senior girls lose the last game of their High School career. I remember the feeling all too well, the regrets, the what-if's, the replaying just one ball or hit with a different outcome in your mind. The tears falling freely at the ending of a chapter that you'll never get to re-do. That's how the sectional softball game Wednesday night went down. After holding a 1-0 lead almost all game, the other team scored a run and then sealed the win with a homer to beat us 2-1. I'm so proud of the girls, but really feel for them. Overall, it was a great season and I'm sad to see it end, but am looking forward to more free time.

3.  Bears vs. Chiefs Game- A Family Affair.
My dad was born in Chicago and grew up there, so my family has always had the "privilege" of being Bears' fans. Basically this privilege includes a whole lot of heartache and a whole lot of losing, coupled with a few bright spots here and there. My hubby is a Chiefs fan, and I happily cheer for them in every game....except when they play the Bears. It only happens every four years, and only happens in KC every eight, so this year we bit the bullet and decided to go. My mom, dad, brother (who is the world's Biggest Bear Fan), aunts, uncle, and cousin all came along. We got to spend the morning tail-gating outside my uncle's brother's Chiefs bus, and I tried to keep my cheering under control when the Bears pulled off a last-minute win over the Chiefs. Woo!

All sorts of happy in this picture. Love it.
4. NO SCHOOL FRIDAY!
Thanks to softball practice, I got out of two hours of parent-teacher conferences each night. But for the other two hours on Monday and Tuesday, I hung out in my classroom and talked with parents all night. This was the first year we had them scheduled in our rooms, instead of all together in the commons with separate tables. I was a little weary of the new idea, but it ended up working well. And the best part is that we don't have school today. Looking forward to a long weekend where I actually get to sleep in! My freshmen just finished To Kill a Mockingbird, so I borrowed a copy of Go Set a Watchman and I hope to get some of it read this weekend. Also hoping it doesn't ruin my affection for the original book... we shall see.
Living it up in my classroom for "Nerd Day" on Homecoming Week.
5. Home sick- a rare occurrence. 
In a strange series of events, I came to school on Monday and then found myself feeling super sick and dizzy. My sight was spotty and I felt like I needed to puke. I sucked it up long enough to write half day sub plans and run to the bathroom a few times. (By the way, not pregnant, if you were wondering). I have only been gone five times in five years, and a couple of those were for weddings, so I very rarely get sick enough to miss school. I successfully made the drive home, where I popped some Tylenol and spent the rest of the day sleeping and half watching the Royals big comeback game. Thankful for helpful teacher friends, understanding kiddos, meds, sleep, and feeling better.

I hope you all have a wonderful week, full of lots of fun moments to celebrate and really make the most of. Don't take anything for granted this week- there is so much we are blessed with on a daily basis that just passes us by sometimes. Live fully, love fiercely, and learn fearlessly, friends!

Currently,
Kelsie

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