Thoughts On the Temple

Heaven just wouldn't be heaven without my family there!  

Our family went through the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house a couple of weeks ago.  This is not a frequent opportunity, in fact it is only the second time our kids have had the opportunity to go inside in their lifetimes--and amazingly both times have been this year.  It is beautiful inside!  As we walked through the silent tour, we saw simple and elegant furnishings, heartwarming art and murals, beautiful plays of light on prismatic chandeliers and mirrors that were adjusted so that when we looked in them, we saw our reflections go on forever.  Above all, we were able to feel the good spirit that prevails there.  It is a safe feeling, one of peace and refuge.  As a thunderstorm literally blustered around us . . . and Moroni was hit by lightning while we were there . . . the inside was so quiet and calm that we had no idea it was anything else outside.  

I have to admit that I have taken the temple for granted until recently.  At the last conference church leaders invited us to serve in the temple more frequently and more sincerely.  It was the week after we moved, and I was unpacking the kitchen as I listened to a touching message from Elder Richard Scott who related how attending the temple has helped him in recent years.  Elder David Bednar promised that regular, meaningful attendance would give us literal protection and help us become better people.  I decided that I was going to attend more often.  I wanted to test it out, I suppose.  Easier said than done with a large, young family.  Since then, I have been going 2-3 times a month (instead of once every month or two), and I have noticed a change.  I have always worked on controlling my hot temper . . . especially with my kids and husband . . . and always considered it to be an aspect of self-control.  But since serving in the temple more, my temper has changed.  Even David has noticed a difference.  The interesting thing is that I don't feel like I have better self-control, I simply don't feel a need to lose my temper in the first place!  It is easier for me to see which things are worth being upset about . . . and how best to express that.  I also see how special each child is when I look at them and listen to their explanations and stories.  I am developing a better perspective, and gaining a conviction that we are not our best selves without divine help.

 

:)

The Results Are IN

The State Finals of the Hershey's Track & Field is over.  We had a great time on our outing--5 hours (round trip) of reading, music, and joking around in order to get to the main event in Richfield, Utah.  Rachel placed 7th for Utah.  Although she is a bit disappointed, we are very proud of her.  Rachel ran 800 meters (1/2 mile) in 3:44.81 . . . shaving 4 seconds off her district finals time . . . even though she is recovering from the "piggy flu!"  In fact, yesterday we didn't think we were going, since Rachel had a fever until the late morning when it finally broke.  At dinner she announced  she wasn't going to miss it, and that was that.  I don't blame her . . . I wouldn't want to miss an opportunity like this one either.  

While we were there, we saw some great friends from our old neighborhood--a family who lived just a couple doors down.  It turned out that Rachel's friend Jacob was competing in the boys 800 m of the same age group.  He lifted her spirits just before the competition got underway.  They warmed up together and we cheered them both on as they raced by doing the wave and generally being loud and boisterous.  (A few pics of Jacob below--in the green shirt; also a photo of Sarah and Rebecca--they were so excited to see each other again!)

On the way home I started convincing myself that training isn't all that hard.  My daydreams included muscles that burst with energy and speed that almost makes me fly.  Over my thoughts came the announcement from Jonathan, "I want to do track next year."  Hmmm . . . .  guess we better keep running!  

Unexpected Surprises!

Rachel Qualifies For State!

We are proud of Rachel for working so hard at track over the last couple of years.  Even though we didn't let her join a running club last year, she kept it on her mind and stayed active.  At our new school, PE generally consists of running laps around the school, and her teacher is an avid runner.  It easily rubbed off, and she has been improving her "personal best" a little at a time.  At the local Hershey's meet, she qualified to move on to district in the 400m, 800m, and long jump!  At the district meet last week, she did well in long jump, but missed qualifying by a couple of inches.  Immediately after her long jump, she ran 400m . . . and then less than 5 minutes later she ran 800m.  OUCH!  Surprisingly, she made the top 2 in the 800m, but not the 400m.  I guess that says something about her stamina.  She is invited to go to the state finals in Richfield tomorrow, and if she does well enough the next step is HERSHEY, PENNSYLVANIA, BABY!  

Critters

Yesterday at lunchtime, I looked out the window and saw a deer in the front yard--here's the proof.  She moved away when I started pulling the blinds up to get a good photo.  This isn't unusual here--we've seen over a dozen in the field to the East of us--but this is the first time I've seen one so close to the house.  However, Sarah told me she saw one on our patio the day before.  Two of the neighbors said that they used to come over to our house when it was vacant (for two years) and feed the deer here.  Hmmmm . . .  That's fun, but it also means we're going to have a difficult time getting rid of them . . . and landscaping or gardening will be a challenge.  What to do?  Enjoy the deer, I guess!

Home, Sweet Home

Hi guys!  I guess it's time to get back into the swing of things . . . I've spent too long with my head in boxes!  Here are a few pics of the new house.  We have NO landscaping, and don't plan on changing that for now.  We do have plenty of projects, though.  Since this home was never finished, we are doing a lot . . . from installing a sump pump, rain gutters, and a swamp cooler (until a/c becomes a priority) to screwing in socket covers and installing blinds.  David has done most of that while I have unpacked day after day . . . a household of 8 has a lot of STUFF!  

Actually, I am okay with the project thing.  This place is growing on me.  It feels more like  home the more we solve problems and improve the place.  I have made it clear that I am done moving.  David and I always leave the caveat that we will go wherever and whenever the Lord wants us to go, and that has always worked out for us.  And so, I hope He is listening:  I am done!  (Caveat still in place, but please don't notice it.) . . . I hope that's not too sac-religious . . . 

So anyway, are settling in.  Within a few weeks, Sarah, Rachel, and Rebecca were signed up for soccer.  (I didn't mean to, but it just fell into my lap after I connected with a college roommate down here and her hubby-coach invited Sarah and Rachel to play w/his daughters.)  Jonathan is finishing up his WOLF requirements for scouts with new den leaders just in time for his 9th b-day.  Also, a few local moms invited Ellie and me to participate in a neighborhood preschool . . . which will make my life easier.  I'll put my own teaching on the shelf for another year.  Jacob's a mite young still.  

Also, the kids were able to squeeze into testing for this district's advanced classes (ALPS).  The ALPS director is really great to work with down here, and has done a great job at helping me keep all the kids at the same school, even though some are "ALPS" and some aren't.  They even started working toward the IB and MYP programs closer to our home, and Sarah will be part of that!  Hooray!  It's all working out.

More updates later . . . 

Schools, Technology, and more IB

I was invited to attend an all-day technology conference for our school district yesterday. It was designed to share ideas about how to use available technology in the classroom, and I was there as a "community council" member--a parent who is involved in the schools and used as a sounding board and resource to communicate about school programs and policies. I was amazed at how much teaching tools have changed in the dozen years that I have been home. The technology classes I took in my last years as a college student didn't even mention the things that are available now. I spent all day (about 6 hours of presentations) and only saw the basics. This could have been a three day conference, and if we had learned all the tutorials, it would have turned into weeks. WOW.

Above is pictured one of our many cabable and talented presenters, Bonnie Burgeous of Clearfield High School. I chose to highlight Bonnie because she is teaching at the International Baccalaureate program that I will have my kids be a part of. There were all kinds of presentations yesterday, and a variety of uses from kindergarten through high school--all of the presenters are teachers within our school district. Rather than summarize, I'll just hand you this one article and links on some things Bonnie is doing with her students.

Standard Examiner Article, December 12, 2008
CLEARFIELD -- Bonnie Bourgeous watched her own children play "Rock Band," and realized it was the perfect vehicle to teach her students about respiratory and heart rates.

"It's fun to watch them," Bourgeous said. "There is a high interest in it and it does meet the core objectives: the respiratory system and student involvement."

This type of activity is nothing new for students of the Clearfield High School biology teacher.

Bourgeous, who also teaches advanced placement biology at Northridge High School for two periods on A days, recently received the Governor's Medal for Science and Technology in science education. She received the award because she includes technology in her classroom as often as possible.

Bourgeous received a 21st Century Classroom award, which paid for items such as the interactive white board in her classroom, laptops for her students to use and venier probes that allows them to conduct water experiments.

"Don't forget to start the data collection," she said to the students who were getting ready to play "Guitar Hero."

One of the students was hooked up to a heart rate monitor. The monitor was hooked up to a laptop so students could see immediately what the heart and respiratory rate was.

"It hurt," said Lindsey Freeman. "The others weren't as sporadic as mine. Either it was because mine (heart monitor belt) was really, really tight, or I was excited."

Bourgeous has taught at Clearfield High School for the past four years and before that she taught math at West Point Junior High School.

"I love biology because it is about life," Bourgeous said. "And science is more hands-on than math."

Hands-on is what her students said they like about her classes.

"She's a brilliant teacher," Freeman said. "Sometimes too brilliant. We have to tell her to slow down."

Bourgeous started her respiratory section by bringing in a cow's heart and lungs for the students to dissect.

Chandler Farr carried the tray with the heart and lung in from another classroom.

"She explained the respiratory system, and then she gave us each a knife and told us to go at it and have fun," Farr said.

Amanda Takaes said the dissection "was really gross, but it was really cool to see how it all went together."

Jordan Brandley is working on an extended essay and chose biology as his topic.

Bourgeous let Brandley check out a laptop and a heart rate monitor at the beginning of the year so he could test what heat did to runners.

He recorded his mother, father and brother running on a treadmill. Now he is gathering data.

When asked if his family were runners, Brandley said, "They are now."

Brandley said Bourgeous allows students to come up with their own ideas and hypothesis when conducting experiments.

"She guides us, but won't tell us what to do," Brandley said.

Matt Tse said Bourgeous is one of the most "creative" science teachers he has had.

"She gives us the materials and has us make up our own labs," Tse said. "She's there to ask for help when we need it."

Four words: Inspiring. Meaningful. Challenging. FUN!

Kudos to all those teachers who are revising their classrooms and daily lesson plans, and using new innovations to enhance the students' engagement.