These Were the Moments

If you think back to this time last year, I was sharing my theme verse for 2016. Since I was not blogging at the time, I did not get to recap how I felt the year went. You can read the whole blog post here, but I will just remind you what the verse was: Esther 4:14 - "Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created." 
I put the verse everywhere this year. It was on my car dashboard, in my classroom, in my phone, anywhere I could think of that I knew had potential for me to read it on daily basis. While there were many things that led me to think of this verse for myself or for others throughout the year, these were my top moments where I knew... the verse was meant for 2016. 
Becoming an Aunt.  Let me tell you. I have the best aunts and uncles out there. Seriously. And I know they have loved me my whole life. But the moment I became an aunt, I looked at them in a whole new light. I was like ohhhh. You love me thaaat much?? No wonder Aunt Kim cries every time a cousin gets engaged!! Or Aunt Terri just wants to talk about teaching math because we share the same passion!! I totally get it now! Because I feel as if I was created to be Cambrie and Jude's aunt!! I would do anything for those two little nuggets of joy!! So when they were born... that was a moment. 

My students this year.  So far, my students in the STEM program have never had a math teacher that has stayed for a second year. So now, as 8th graders, one of the first questions I was asked was, "Are you gonna be here next year?" My response was, well y'all are going to high school! And they replied with, "Yeah, but we could come back and visit." And that's when I knew. I was supposed to be here, in that moment, for these students. Because lets be honest, those big bad 8th graders are typically the ones who crave the most acceptance. It's one of the reasons why I love them so much. It's a fantastic year to pour into these adolescents who then move on to being the small fish in the high school pond. While there have been a multitude of other examples, this one makes my heart smile. I have a girl who is definitely gifted and talented but totally self-deprecating. She thinks she is only GT in English and is terrible at math. (Sidenote: she's not terrible at all, she just has to work slightly harder in math) One day after I worked with her on a concept that should have been learned in 6th grade she told me, "Ya know, I've never wanted to try in math.... but, I'll try for you." And that was a moment. 
My former student's dad's funeral. This was one rough. For this family I taught and coached both daughters. One daughter is a freshman in college and one is an 8th grader. Their dad was diagnosed with cancer about 3 years ago and the now freshman, then sophomore in high school reached out to me. She knew my dad had had cancer and asked me what to do and how to pray for him. After about a year, he was in remission and all was good. Until this past year when the cancer returned and rapidly took over his body. October 22nd was his celebration of life and all of my old school's coaches were busy with a tournament that day. So, the theater teacher (and my good friend) and I went to the celebration. And y'all. a celebration it was. The first hour was all praise and worship music. So, surrounded by about 20 of my former students.. most who I taught, and all who I coached... I got to praise God. And after two hours when I was leaving, I couldn't help but think.. Man, I never want to have to do that again, but what a privilege that I got to show my students that he is a "good, good father" and worship in front of them. And I got in my car, and I looked at my verse in the dashboard... and I thought, maybe, I was created for this moment. 

A Year of Gluten Free

But wait, for the first time in 8 years, I am actually making a resolution!!! 
The year of 2017 I am going to eat completely gluten free!!!!!
Why? I just feel better when I eat gluten free (gf). I did such a good job before the wedding, and I liked the way I feel. This past semester I have eaten terribly and I have to pop Nexium like it's candy. I have never had a major problem with reflux until 2016, but it's been a constant issue. I am hoping that gluten free will help my digestive system and insides get clean. That's my number one goal. 
So, no bread at all? Gluten free has come so far. There are many options out there as far as different flours to make different breads. One big thing on my Christmas list was a large bag of gf flour. Bisquick now makes a gluten free version, and there are small packages called "Martha White"that have cornbread and biscuits. Monday night for our Bachelor watching party, my mom brought over these marvelous gluten free asiago cheese stuff bread bites? They were so good. I hope to do a post once I figure out which are my favorites from the ones I have tried. My plan is not to cut bread completely, but limit even the amount of gf bread. I'm thinking no more than twice a week, more like once a week. 
Is Trav ok with this? While Trav is not hopping on the gluten free bandwagon, he is hopping on the healthy bandwagon. A lot of the dinners I cook are already gluten free, so I don't imagine it will be a drastic difference in dinner. 
What's the hardest part going to be? Definitely eating on road trips, traveling, or fast food. Eating at home is easy and making my lunches for school is easy. Going to Napa in 10 days? Probably not going to be easy. But, I am committed to doing this and seeing how it affects my body. 
Resources: Obviously pinterest, but my mom got me these recipe books that I am going to pull from as well.  200 Gluten Free Recipes - Hamlyn All Color

The Pampered Chef Favorites made Gluten Free

I'll post updates, trials, and celebrations along the way!! But, wish me luck!!

Verse of 2017

It's that time... where I recap why I do choose a verse as a resolution over an actual New Year's Resolution. I began this tradition back in 2009. I, honestly, cannot remember if someone suggested I do this, or if this was just an idea I came up with on my own. I've never been good at making New Year's Resolutions... and I've definitely never been good at keeping up with them. So picking one verse and letting that be my theme verse throughout the entire year, seemed like a good way to continually be memorizing verses, and to have a constant reminder of what I need to live by.  Looking back at the verses from the past, I can clearly see that in the beginning I was looking for verses to support me. I was finishing college and transitioning to the real world. The verses I picked reflect this time period in my life. 
But then, there is an obvious shift to verses that are about living. 
2009 – Psalm 46:1 - "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." 2010 – Joshua 1:9 - "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” 2011 – Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." 2012 – John 16:33 - “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 2013 – Hebrews 6:19 - "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." 2014 – Psalm 71:3 - “Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come; You have given commandments to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.” 2015 - 2 Timothy 1:9 - He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace."

2016 - Esther 4:14 - "Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created." 

And now we're here at 2017. And this year I had a verse picked out since about August.... until the last weekend of November when our preacher preached on 1 John. That small, tiny book wayyy to the back of the Bible. And when he read this verse, I looked at Trav... and I knew! If I could sum up my life motto into one sentence, this would be it. 

Trav and I talk all the time about the way we want to love people. That's the way we feel we show God's love the best. Without further ado, 2017.

2017 - 1 John 4:7 - "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."

Well, Hello 2017!

Well, I haven't posted anything since June 2nd, 2016. That's a little over 200 days. I think December is the first month that someone has not asked me, "When are you gonna start blogging again?" ..........  And so, I'm ready to start blogging again! It was a lovely break where so many things happened.  My plan is to not try and update you on everything that happened all in this one blog post, but I will fill you in along the way.  My next biggest question was where to blog? Do I come back here to this space I've already established, or do I start a fresh new blog... probably titled "Trollie Living" or "Trollie Life". I talked to a couple family members and a couple blogger friends and finally concluded there was no right answer. I could, technically, do either! It was just a decision I had to make...  So here I am. Back at my extremely long "manymusingsofmollie.blogspot.com" with my extremely old recaps of student teaching from 2009. But I'm also back at this space that was my journal for my non-existent dating life... until I met the one. Then it was my journal for our dating life, our engagement, the wedding planning process, our wedding, and life as a newlywed. I just couldn't let all of that go. It would be much more fancy to buy my own domain, drop the "many", and use WordPress or something. But, I've never been a super fancy person, and I just like this space that's right here.  Besides all that..... HELLO 2017!!!! Nice to see you! Call me a math teacher, but I love odd years. Now I have a Baylor friend that is a little obsessed with even numbers (hi Kelsey), but I don't mind the odd numbers.  Driving to my dad's house for Christmas, Trav and my blonde sister kept discussing how everyone was hating on 2016. 2016 wasn't all that bad. Then we proceeded to list a whole bunch of really cool things we did or happened in 2016. Mostly we became Aunt Mollie and Uncle Trav, we kind of all three got new jobs, we wake surfed and got some cool pictures doing it, we took a fun hour away staycation at an awesome lake house, we went to Napa, we went to NYC, we celebrated birthdays, baby showers, and weddings, and I got a garden I've been dreaming of since I moved in.  2016 was not bad at all, but I cannot wait to see what 2017 has in store!! Stay tuned for my resolutions for this great, odd year of '17!

Summer Reading

IT. IS. SUMMER!!!!
Summer reading, had me a blast.. summer reading.. happens so fast I met a book, I couldn't put down!! All these books, don't give me a frown!
If you know what song that was too, then you're my best friend. My summer consists of two types of reading. Professional and Fun. Here's what is on my list for this summer.
Professional. 

Mathematical Mindset. If you have never read Carole Dweck's Growth Mindset... it will change your life. Seriously, there's even a section about relationships. But, mathematical mindset is all about how to apply a growth mindset to a math classroom. In the world of math, we fight the stereotype of "I'm not good at math" all year long. I am so interested to hear Jo Boaler's reasoning on how we can combat that with a growth mindset. If you're a math teacher, you need to read this. 

Rethinking Grading. I attempted to read this book earlier in the year, but mainly ended up skimming through it. I want to re-read this book and highlight and dig into it! I am still obsessed with all of my standards based grading, and I am happy to know that the secondary principals are reading this book this summer! 
FUN!

The Pemberley Chronicles. A woman after my own heart. She was so sad Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth were finished, that she wrote a book about their life after Pride and Prejudice!!! I cannot wait to get started on this one!! I can say with absolute certainty that my English accent will improve after reading this book! 

Continuing with my World War II fascination, my mom says Orphan Train is a must read. How many children were orphaned from concentration camps? I don't even want to know the number. 
What else should I add to my list?