Thankful

2010 was a difficult year.

That is probably the understatement of the century.

However, instead of wallowing in the badness - I rose above! I'm really proud to be able to look back and see how I've been able to find healthy, productive ways to deal.

My beloved grandfather passed away in February.  Exactly one month later, my fiancés father was found dead in his home. He was only 58, and it was completely unexpected.  I'm so proud that I was strong for Mike and his 18 year old sister, while being able to support my mother (she had a really difficult time with my grandfather's passing.)  I'm amazed that I was able to deal with the police, medical examiners, out of town family, make funeral arrangements. That seems like something for REAL adults to do - I'm not one of them yet!

We also lost Mike's mom's twin... at this point the losses just seem like rubbing salt into a very raw wound.

That series of events through MANY things into my life into a tailspin.  Some are really personal, and not blog fodder, but know that March, April, May, June, and July were ugly, ugly times. We made our engagement official in May (yay!) and that little ray of sunshine helped to get me through.

I was very unhappy in my previous job (as earlier postings show), but instead of feeling bad for myself (well... I did that a bit too) I made moves.  Changed to a new school in a new city teaching a new grade.  I was TERRIFIED, but I did it!

In the midst of all of this - I lost 65 pounds.  I am a runner, and I think that is definitely part of what has kept me sane.  The alone time with nature, time to think, time to process has really helped.  I'm reaching goals, reaching them, and setting new ones. I always wanted to be a runner - and now I am one!  I've stepped out of my box to try new activities like boot camp, Zumba, and kickboxing.  I got up on a rainy Thanksgiving morning to run a 5k?  WHO AM I?

I am Bonnie! I am strong - physically and emotionally. This year (the past 7 years, really) has been so hard, but my growth has been nothing short of phenomenal. I know of at least two other people that have undertaken weight loss journeys thanks to my example.

 I think about my grandfather, and I hope I make him proud. I think of Mike's dad, and I hope he sees me taking care of his children.

I know 2011 will bring more joy and more pain.  I'm not scared.  I'm ready for what comes my way, and I know where to turn for support when I need it.  And of course, I will keep running!

"What's the secret?"

I have lost 24.7 pounds since January 4th.  Stress has helped it along - work sucks this year, my grandfather  passed away, Mike lost his dad unexpectedly.  A huge lifestyle change is what has really kept me moving.  I am working towards cutting out processed foods, I exercise 3-4 times a week... I obsess a bit.

Everyone wants the secret.  I understand, I totally wanted a magic bullet that would pull off the weight I gained as I ate my way through a very difficult time in my life.  I tried EVERYTHING!  Every fad diet known to man, tried and true programs - nothing worked!  Making healthy choices for my body made the difference.  So, as I get asked over and over, I have to give the boring answer no one wants to hear - healthy choices and exercise!

Physically and mentally, I am the strongest I have ever been.  My hellish time at work, helping my loved ones through crazy, stressful situations - I was the strong one! 

I really don't mind "What's the secret?"  because it reminds me that my changes show.  I can't see the difference in my body, except for the dramatic change in my clothing size.  I just wish I had a more exciting answer :)

A great teacher..

My Grandaddy was a great teacher. The very best teachers don’t teach by lecturing. They educate through example and experience.




By example, my Grandaddy taught me that mistakes can be blessings in disguise. When he joined the Air Force, an error was made in his paperwork. Transposed numbers resulted in a career path change from a telephone line repairman to a photographer. Instead of getting angry or fussing, Grandaddy went with the flow. That small mistake changed the entire course of his life.



By example, my Grandaddy taught me that the old saying is true. It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice. As a child, I eagerly awaited his frequent trips to visit out family in Maryland. He always had a list of activities in mind – local restaurants, of course, but also visits to landmarks and monuments. He would always stop and take pictures of people we didn’t know. I was confused, and he explained to me that pictures of entire families are priceless treasures, and if one member of the family is taking the picture, they aren’t in it. As I grew older, I followed his example. I get strange looks sometimes, but I usually get the shot.



While walking through a parking lot once, Grandaddy went over to an unfamiliar car and opened the door. Before I could say anything, he was in, out and closing the door. “They left their lights on,” he said. Although he was a highly respected, decorated war hero, he never expected better service or different treatment from anyone else. He didn’t brag. He was kind and respectful to all people, unless they messed up his change, forgot his receipt, or skipped him when he was waiting in line.



By example, my Grandaddy showed the importance of not wasting your life. My sorrow at his passing is tempered by seeing the lives he touched and listening to stories about the things he did – and wow, he did a lot! He wasn’t referred to as the Energizer Bunny for nothing! When asked how he managed to do so much, he explained “I just never sit down. If I sit down, I won’t get back up.” I will strive in life to say yes, accept unplanned detours in the road of life, and to do my best to show kindness to everyone.



This week, my Grandaddy taught me one final lesson. By example, my Grandaddy taught me that death isn’t scary. Death, to me, had been shrouded in mystery, usually heard of by a late night or early morning phone call. As his body grew weaker, I hesitated before answering an early morning phone call from my mother. I was honored to be with the family as my beloved Grandaddy left to be with the Lord. His passing was peaceful and as dignified as he always was.



My Grandaddy lives on through his wife, his three children, 6 grandchildren and great grandson, as well as other generations that will follow. How we live our lives, the choices we make, are the parts of him he left behind. Though I am heartbroken by his passing, I know that now he has truly “slipped the surly bonds of earth...put out his hand, and touched the face of God.”

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue, I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew - And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untresspassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee No 412 squadron, RCAF Killed 11 December 1941

Let it snow!

The amazing amount of snow days this year (the school year I hate the most) is proof that God loves me and wants me to be happy.

App-stravaganza!

Deviating slightly from my usual here.  I picked up an awesome Motorola Droid at the beginning of November.  Two friends have switched over, and I wrote this email sharing my fave apps.  Figured I would share it with you as well.

Any visitors who come across this page, share your faves too, please :)

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If you want these, you can search in the market OR 

-download Barcode Scanner from the market

- Google the app (include Android market in your search) 

- Scan the barcode for the app with barcode scanner on your phone. It will take you right to the app in the market.  Nifty!

Basics:

Beautiful widgets!

Dolphin browswer, as a replacement for the stock browser

PANDORA        (iheartradio comes out sometime today, too. Supposedly. I can't find it!)

HiAim for AOL instant messenger

Twidroid for Twitter

Wheres my Droid - so you can find your phone when its on silent and you've lost it in your bed. ;)

Battery widget - so you can see whats up with yo batt

Power control widget - you can quickly dim the screen, turn wifi and gps on and off

Missed Call lets you change the color of the LED..for example, I have green for email, pink for texts, yellow for calendar, on and on

Advanced Task Killer to help with battery life

Pure Calendar widget

Pure Email widget

Games:

FourSquare gives you points based on places you go.. kind of confusing to explain, but you can check out foursquare.com. I like it, but its not very fun if you don't know too many other people playing.  All my points are from going to Sullivan's.  Hahahaha.

GemBuster.  I started with the free and liked it so much I bought the full

Google Navigation is very cool, a few apps that enhance:

Places Directory lets you search around your area

Maps

Music:

Meridan is a nice music player

iMusic lets you download music free

Album Art Grabber puts album art with your music

Mixzing - playlist creator

Video:

TV.com has full episodes from CBS.  Hulu is supposed to be coming in January!

iVideo downloads videos.  I haven't played with this one too much yet

Home replacement:

I use PandaHome to customize my home screens.  I'm not 100% happy with it, but they keep pushing out updates so I'm hoping its a little smoother soon.  I can use PandaHome for themes, adding screens (I have 4 instead of 3) and changing the icons for various apps. It's a little tricky to figure out.  I think a lot of this stuff we'll be able to do anyway with the update to Android 2.1 in January.

Other stuff I like:

Dockrunner puts your phone in multimedia mode

Movies - links with Facebook

Accuweather

Astrid - to do list

Backgrounds

Bubble (because it's cool :) )

Flashlight

Color Flashlight

DC Metro Map

FX Camera 

PicSay

Goggles

Google Sky Map

E! Online

Key Ring (for frequent shopper cards)

My Coupons

NASA Images (because I'm a nerd)

Google Sky Map (because I am a super nerd)

Shazam

TV Guide

Steamy Window

Ringdroid

Bloo is a Facebook app that I like, but the notifications are super annoying so I stopped using it.  I'm using touch.facebook.com on the dolphin browser.  myspace's new site looks so cool now I almost - ALMOST - want to start using myspace again, but the only people doing anything over there are 12 so.. never mind.

Hope this is helpful! :)

Hmm.  Wow.  I use a lot of apps! :D 

Enjoy your winter holiday of choice! A nice gift I received...

and merry Christmas, as that is MY winter holiday of choice.

Received an email yesterday, would like to share the closing...

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THANK YOU!

Lastly, I wanted to thank you for making your class so engaging.  Language arts was not a liked subject, since second grade with Mrs. Someonelse!!!  She is reading constantly, for fun too!

Since the beginning of the school year she has come home talking about your class.  On the SSAT exam she took last weekend for private school entrance, she told me about one of the essay questions she had to answer.  It stated that listening is the best way to learn.  But she said that her essay disagreed with that statement saying that its not the only way to learn, saying that in your class and one other class, you discuss/talk about the subject matter, you write about it and do projects that help learning.   I was very impressed. She gets it.  

 

Last year(5th grade) was a lost year for her, and her grammar and everything suffered, I never even got her research paper back so I don't even know how it was graded.  She did okay but she hated it-even poetry.   This year her engagement and initiative has improved greatly! I don't have to pull teeth to get her to do her work.   So pat yourself on the back!  I hope you also have a good and restful break as well.

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Better than any "Best Teacher Ever" mug I could have received.

Also saw quite a few students last week while attending a workshop at the nearby middle school.  They are so tall!  I felt great to see how happy they were to see me!  Big smiles and hugs.

Teaching isn't everything I would have hoped this year, but these little moments will get me through.