Introducing Mrs. Kate Graham...

This weekend, my dear, best, kindred friend, Kate Mc, got married in Jackson. It was an absolutely beautiful ceremony, and Kate was the most elegant, radiantly stunning bride this side of the equator. See for yourself.

Isn't she lovely? I think this one should be on the cover of a wedding magazine. Really.

This is a post that could potentially be very long and wordy, but for the sake of sanity (I'm already completely emotionally drained from the weekend), sleep, and simplicity (a few pictures of the beautiful bride will speak much more powerfully and beautifully than any of my rambling words), I am going to check out here.

If you'd like to check out a comical chronology/collection of memiors of my eight-going on nine-years of friendship with one Katherine Suzanne, please visit http://www.kateandclaire.blogspot.com/

I am going to get some shut eye. Hope everyone had a good weekend.

Congratulations again, Kate, on finding your love. I love you very much!

Welcome, Miraaaanda!

Please join me in ushering Miranda Maynard into the blogging community! Sweet Miranda is one of my favorite people and dearest college friends. I haven't see her or caught up with her in wayyyy too long, which is why I am SO excited she's joining the blogosphere. She and her husband Jon live in Southaven, MS and are expecting their first baby next month, Mary-Evelyn. So sweet.
Miranda and I right before her wedding in 2004

Reflecting on 2007...a little bit late

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?

Went hiking and camping in North Carolina on the Appalachian Trail. So fun.

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions and will you make more for next year?

I don't make resolutions. Not just because it's a new year, anyway. I find that if my motivation is just that it's a new year, I won't keep them.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Oh my goodness yes...let's see if I can remember them all...sweet Anna Katherine Grisham had baby Max, Emily Redwood had baby Sarah Beth (Screamy Face), Kelly Flowers Butler had Emily Kate (haven't seen her yet...oh my gosh), and Mary Straton had twins Charlie and Olive.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes, my uncle (mom's brother-in-law)

5. What countries did you visit?

I stayed in the U.S. all year.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?

More patience

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Finishing my first year of teaching. I wanted to walk out and quit so many times, and I think just not quitting was probably my biggest achievement.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Sacrificing my social life for a whole year to unnecessarily overwork myself.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Thankfully, no.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I would have to say a car. Although I miss the Emerald Monster.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

I wish I could say our golden retriever, Dooley. But we're still working on it.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Mike Huckabee's son's 1998 stray dog slaying. Breaks my heart. I'm sure there is plenty worse, but that's what I thought of first.

14. Where did most of your money go? Rent, taxes, and gas

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? A lot of things. Summer, Art on the Rocks at the Bham Museum of Art, concerts, anything at Workplay, coffee in the morning (every morning), the Chicken Club quesadilla at Moe's (for a limited time only), having girls' wine nights at 728, cold weather, and the list goes on and on and on. I get excited about a lot of things.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007? Sara Groves "Less Like Scars," Mindy Smith's "Angel Doves" and her Christmas album, Ryan Adams' version of "When the Stars Go Blue," and Amos Lee's "Sweet Pea."

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder? Thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer? I'd say almost exactly the same. Only maybe poorer now that I have a car payment. I'm pretty consistent.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Running

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Working and planning outside school while simultaneously blaming myself if all of my students didn't do well. Boy I learned not to do THAT pretty quickly.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I spent Christmas with my family in Nashville. It was wonderful.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007?

Yes. With Dwight Schrute and Jack Bauer. How did I never watch 24 before the 6th season aired??!!

23. How many one-night stands?

Zero (you're all gasping in shock, I'm sure)

24. What was your favorite TV show?

The Office and 24, hands down. They are the ONLY shows I watched.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Nope

26. What was the best book you read?

Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? I tend to stick with what I love. James Taylor, Patty Griffin, Mindy Smith, Sara Groves, Amos Lee, Billy Joel, Eva Cassidy, and a few other newer discoveries like MC Hammer, Jermaine Dupree, and Ace of Base ;)

28. What did you want and get?

Good, solid community in Birmingham

29. What did you want and not get?

More patience

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

I didn't see too many movies in 2007--but I'd definitely say Little Miss Sunshine. That was 2007, wasn't it?

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

For my 26th, I cooked out with friends on a Sunday afternoon and went to bed early.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I honestly can't think of anything. My year was pretty good--I mean, it could always be better I suppose--a trip to NYC or Europe, a huge pay increase, etc etc, but why think that way? We don't KNOW that the grass is always greener. It might even be DEAD on the other side. Or gravel.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?

I hate fads. Hate them. If I like something that is also a fad, I may wear it---but only if I know I will wear it the next year as well. I will never actually go shopping for "the latest." What a waste of money. But of the 2007 trends, I'd say my favorite was the updated trench coat with the ever so slightly puffed sleeves. I've worn mine to bits and still going strong. I do like a few weird things, like a sweater with birds crocheted on the back.

34. What kept you sane? a good night's sleep, red wine, time with friends, and grace upon grace

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Steven Colbert

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

I'd really rather not talk politics. Not tonight. Bad day for discussing politics.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Oh my gosh--I've met several great new friends since the dawn of '07. The perks of being a relatively new resident in a new city--you keep meeting people.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.

I learned a great many, and on a couple I'm agreeing wholeheartedly with Anisa--that A) Just because you work really hard does not mean you will be appreciated. Any validation you find that you need must often come from elsewhere. And B) Don't allow work stress to bleed into other areas of your life. Not good. Also, C) Never make any assumptions about a person until you know them. Nine times out of ten, you'll be surprised. Besides, assumptions get in the way of really seeing a person. And hhmm...D) Going to bed early, even if you're not tired, is always, always worth whatever you think you're missing out on (on week nights, that is). E) Pasta and soup are great meals when you're out of money at the end of the month. Always have some stored up just in case. And last but not least...F) Hot chocolate really is worlds better when made with milk instead of water.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. THIS is tough. I'm going to go with Bebo Norman's "Be My Covering." I'd say this was my prayer through most of 2007.

"The sun gives to a darkened sky

Blood red are the tears we cry

So far from Your design

Oh God, hear me tonight

Though the waters rise

They will not pull me under

When the mountain slides

And crashes to the sea

I will lift my eyes

And call out to You,

Father Be my covering

War-torn are the rags of every nation

Fear lives in the heart of every home

Louder than the groans of creation

Oh, my God, be the voice of hope"

Reasons to chuckle

I'm sitting at my kitchen table grading papers this afternoon. Not the way I'd most like to spend Sunday afternoon, but such is life. As much as teaching wears me down, there are little things that happen that bring such a real laughter and joy (cheese. but it's true) so that even the worst week is ultimately worth it. I'm sure you teachers understand.

Allow me to share two of those little bits of laughter with you.

I'm grading "MLK and Me" Journals of Pictures and Words that all my students worked on right before MLK weekend, and each page had some info on MLK. They had to finish each page by writing and illustrating information about themselves in the same category. Anyway, on one of the pages, there was a paragraph about what MLK was good at and what he loved doing the most. Here is the other half, written by a 7th grade boy, "K."

"I'm good at fighting, basketball, football, reading, writing, doing front flips, back flips, video games, telling time, and keeping secrets."

The randomness of this made me laugh out loud.

Also funny: My students LOVE to comment on what I have on...everyday. It doesn't matter WHAT I have on--they will have something to say about it. This is primarily 8th grade, but 7th throws in their commentary on occasion.

Anytime I wear boots or something even remotely funky, they freak out. "Miss H, did you wear those boots during WWII?!" or "Miss H, are you going to ride cows after school?" Or "Miss H, why you so tacky today? You know that don't EVEN match." (this is a reference to perfectly acceptable combos, like green and brown, off white and red, green and deep yellow, etc)

I know given this tendency of my students, this was just asking for it, but I wore a favorite navy blue cardigan to school with birds crocheted on the back. It IS cuter than it sounds. I got it on sale while employed at Anthropologie. Click link to see said sweater.

Back to the story. I had on this sweater, and from the time the kids walked in to the time they left, they called me gradma and kept asking me if I knitted the sweater myself. Then, out of no where, kid on the front row, "Ced," (same student who makes the daily claim that he 'saw my roommate at Piggly Wiggly') called out, "Naw, dawg, she got on that sweater because we startin to read To Kill a Mockingbird today! Those be MOCKINBIRDS on that sweater, fool!"

True. It was day one of our journey with To Kill a Mockingbird. I would have never been so creative to have strategically worn that sweater with that in mind. But, I claimed the idea as my own anyway. I turned around and said, "Finally, someone figured it out!" So, from now on, just like Starkville's 5th grade teacher Mrs. McCoy would wear her globe earrings on geography quiz days, I will wear this "mockingbird" sweater on To Kill a Mockingbird quiz and test days. Waah lah!

This same day, one of my more quiet Hispanic students presented me with a very detailed, precise drawing of the back of my sweater. Apparently everytime I turned around in class, he'd work on it a little more. He handed it to me on his way out the door. I have it taped to my printer. Hilarious.

How could working with such characters NOT be worth the exhaustion??

It's official...

I'm about to go buy a washer and dryer. Not what I want to be spending money on. At all. But my dear Kate Mac is moving out today (sniff...that's a post for another day) and taking our (her) set with her.

And so a trip to Best Buy/Sears is in order. I have no idea what I'm doing, either. When did this happen? When did I become an adult? Not when I graduated. Not when I got a big girl job. Not when I started paying all my own bills. None of that.

It's happening today, folks. When I buy a washer and dryer.

RIP youthful Claire.

I've been told...

...that I look like a lot of people in my lifetime. Very few of which I actually resemble at all. I'd say the closest anyone has come would be Haley Mills (Parent Trap).

Until today.

One of my brilliant 8th grade students--we'll call him Alonzo--enlightened me on my TRUE identical twin. Because, apparently, our appearances are one and the same. "Miss H, you REALLY look like..." Are you ready for this? Are you really ready? Scroll down.

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No, your eyes aren't deceiving you. Here is a picture of Johnny Depp, with whom I evidently share a striking resemblance. But don't worry, he didn't stop there. (And believe me, Alonzo is NOT kidding about this. He really actually thinks I look like this guy. GUY)

Then he took it a step further....Me: "What do you mean, I look like Johnny Depp???!!!"
Alonzo: "You know, that guy who played Edward Scissorhands."
Me: "Let's make sure I'm not missing anything. Not only are you telling me I look like a man, but Edward Scissorhands??"
Alonzo: "Yep. Don't worry though Miss H, you just look like his sister. Who probably wears a whole lot of black like you."

There you have it, folks. Haley Mills, move over. We have a new winner in the ACH look-alike competition. Edward Scissorhands. With a close runner-up...

Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird. I don't think they were complimenting my writing abilities on this one. At least here, A) I can peg where they got this (they're studying the novel right now) and B) she's a WOMAN.

Say it isn't so...

Please tell me I'm dreaming when I say I got home around 5 after running a couple of errands after school, sat down on the couch to enter grades into the computer, took 5 minutes to empty the dishwasher, returned to the couch and began grading papers, cooked and ate dinner (20 minutes) went back to couch, and continued grading/putting in grades until I just now logged into blogger. It is 9:21 p.m. right now, and almost my bedtime. Are you kidding me? I feel like I've just about been on the clock from 7:45-9:15. Is there something wrong with that?

At this rate, I'll look like this by my 27th birthday...