Catching Up

Alright, so I realize that I haven't updated this blog in over a year, and I am totally okay with that.  A lot has happened in my life in the past year, and I have been a busy woman.  (Maybe 2013 will be the year I don't wait months/years in between updates...okay, don't count on it).  

So, I'm going to try to catch up on what happened in my life in 2012.

Pleasant Valley 100th Anniversary 
Allison, me and Emily with Baby Hagen 

I began the year with a move; I moved from my place in Rogers to a new apartment, closer to my school in Springdale.  I returned to Sonora Elementary  in January to work with the third grade team as a Point in Time teacher helping to prepare the students for the Benchmark Exams in the spring.  This was VERY exciting for me; I loved my intern placement at Sonora.  I loved the kids; I loved the teachers; I loved the administration.  

I also began the year not knowing whether or not I would receive my master's degree and subsequently my teaching license because of a technicality.  Thankfully, the wonderful people at Harding University came through for me and worked things out.  They retroactively rewarded me my MAT in February for the December graduation and I received my Arkansas Teacher's license in March.

I was out of my 'arts' world in the workplace, teaching reading, writing, and math, so I started painting outside of school.  I did more Razorback paintings in 2012 than ever before, starting with one for my newest closest friend at the beginning of the year and continuing for an auction for Sonora.  Also, I took on a project last fall, which turned out to be bigger than I ever imagined.  I decided to paint a series of murals for the church my dad preaches at in their Sunday school building.  The murals are The Creation scene down a hallway into an opening that will one day be the Garden of Eden.  I began in the early spring and came close to finishing the hallway series in October.  It is a project of monumental proportions; and I completely underestimated it.  Of course, this is the first mural I have ever painted, so I had no idea what to expect.

I decided after the beginning of the year I needed to find a job to supplement my paycheck from the school district, since I would not be receiving a check through the summer.  I was fortunate to find a job at the first place I stopped to ask, Cracker Barrel in Springdale.  I knew that they were a 'family friendly' establishment and that their hours should be fairly compatible with my teaching schedule until school was out.  I became a server in March and I worked through the summer.  I am very thankful for meeting the people I worked with at CB and the lessons I learned while working there.    

Yeah, if this whole teaching
thing didn't pan out, I could
def be paparazzi   

Around April, I began looking for full time teaching positions for the 12-13 school year.  I built up my resume, and I started applying to school districts all over Northwest Arkansas.  I scoured the school district webpages daily.  I applied in Bentonville, Fayetteville, and I even interviewed in the Rogers school district at the beginning of May.  My adviser at Harding NWAPC called me one afternoon to let me know about an opening in Prairie Grove.  I didn't know a thing about PG, my adviser said he knew the principal and promised me that this was a wonderful opportunity for me.  I sent my application and resume and received an email back for an interview.  I interviewed with the principal and assistant principal in PG and received a call the next day with an offer for the job.  At that time, I still had my heart set on an elementary placement, but I knew after my interview that this job was one that didn't come along every day.  I decided then and there to take the position.  By the next week when I recieved a call from Fayetteville for an interview, I had no qualms about telling them I had already taken a position for the upcoming year.  And later in the summer when the Springdale school I had initially had my heart set on finally called me back, I told them in no uncertain terms, 'too little, too late'.

Me and Kristin Chenoweth in Broken Arrow, OK

A fun fact about my summer: Emily and I attended the last concert in Kristin Chenoweth's tour in Broken Arrow in June.  The concert was fabulous; I had chills down my spine 80% of the time.  She really is just a fantastic performer.  After the show, we decided to be some of those crazy fans who hang around...and we actually got to meet her as she was leaving the hall for her reception.  The pic is kinda blurry because we couldn't use flash (it bothered her Meniere's disease) but I am proud of it nonetheless.  For the Broadway geek in me, this was major.  It was a huge honor to meet her; she was very kind, and tiny, and gorgeous, and gracious, even though there were a hundred people standing around wanting pictures and autographs when all she wanted was to leave with her parents.  Kudos for being awesome K. Chenoweth.  

In June, I went to Little Rock for a week of Advanced Placement training.  One of the perks of taking a high school teaching job was that I was asked to train to become AP certified and teach an AP 2-D Art Studio course.  It is challenging and fun, and the ability level of the students is beyond anything I imagined!

Haiti Team 2012 with one of our murals
(Will, Christena, Brittany, me)

Moving on.  In July, I had the privilege of taking a very special team to Haiti to work at the Cap Haitian Children's Home.  My team consisted of my very good friends Will and Christena and my cousin Brittany.  It was by far my most special trip so far.  We did a lot of painting and food relief and a whole lot of loving on those kiddos.  We also had the privilege of taking the entire orphanage on a beach trip, which included boat rides.  It was a wonderful experience to be able to share such a passionate part of my life with people I love.  They have heard me go on about my kiddos for years, and now they get to know that part of my life at an intimate level that few people have the opportunity to.  As you all know, I could write about Haiti for days, but I'll trip to keep it short this time.

Oh, and hey, I changed my hairstyle
a few times this year.  I know, another
big shock to everyone...

When I got back to the states, I started preparing for my first year of teaching.  I had a lot of work to do to prepare myself and my new classroom by the time school started.  I took the position of art teacher at Prairie Grove High School replacing the teacher who retired (after 29 years of service to the district) the year before.   Big shoes to fill!  I am however beyond thankful for all the of the help she has provided (lesson plans, advice, supplies, instructions, and the list goes on).  Her experience has been invaluable to me.  My new art room was filled with years of resourceful hoarding, which took two full days to sort through and I'm pretty sure two full dumpsters to cart off (just the stuff I decided not to keep).  Not to mention the room is humongous.  It took me many more hours (days, weeks...) to prepare lessons, plans, presentations, and organize my room and supplies.

This big event of 2012 may not seem so big to some people, but for me, it's pretty big.  I finally traded in my Saturn Vue, and bought my first brand new car.  I am the proud owner of a 2013 Hyundai Elantra.    My Vue got me through a lot, and I put it through a lot, and I loved that car.  Now, I'm not a huge car person, but for me buying my first car from a dealership is like signing the paperwork to become an adult.  I'm not sure if that will make sense to anyone but me, but I'm proud of my car.  It's not really even a 'it's mine and I want it' sort of thing.  If I had the option of leaving it here and moving to Haiti tomorrow...well, we won't go there.  I do love my job...Anyways, driving off the lot in my car was a big day.  And I have Mr. Kent to thank for helping so much with that.  And with a myriad of other things.  And I am blessed to have him and his family in my life.  Moving on...

My first semester of teaching has been full of ups and downs.  Excitement, frustration, happiness, anger, love, contentment...roller coaster.  You get it.  I have fallen head over heals in love:  with my job, with my kids, with the community I work in, with my whole situation.  That's not to say that I'm never unhappy with my students or that I never get frustrated with my classes or that my lessons are always successful. It's exactly the opposite in fact. I am often upset, frustrated, and feel like I fail my kids on a weekly if not daily basis. But if I felt successful with every lesson or satisfied all the time, I wouldn't be growing.  I have become involved in a number of ways (I know everyone is shocked by that one).  I was fortunate enough to take my AP students to Memphis for National Portfolio Day at Memphis College of Art.  It was a fantastic experience.  Art Club meets with me every Wednesday; we spent most of October and November painting windows throughout the community in support of our football team in their state tournament.  I spend Tuesday afternoons working with the trombone section of our band (and baritones), just to help out with the low brass sound.  I became involved with the volleyball team early in the fall, volunteering to line judge for their games.  I am currently completely courses to receive my coaches endorsement, and I am planning to volunteer coach for our volleyball team next year!

STOMP! with Clare in September 

So the holiday break is halfway over and I am preparing myself for the second half of my first year of teaching.  Looking back over the last 12 months of my life, I can't help but think of how incredibly blessed I am.  I have an amazing family, wonderful friends, the job of my life, fabulous students, and my God loves me.  My students have already come so far in so little time.  I have seniors who have already been accepted to colleges and offered scholarships.  I can't wait to see how far my students come in the next 5 months.  I am anxious to send off my first AP students' portfolios to the College Board and receive their scores.  I am excited to get my coaches endorsement and be a more active part of the volleyball program.  I am happy to be involved in the band program and be using my musical talents again.  As I look forward to 2013, I am excited to see what comes next.  I pray that I become the best Christian, teacher, friend, daughter, sister, human I can possibly be in this new year.     

Russell Family 2012 

^{Ephesians 3}

¹⁶ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ²¹ Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Philippians 1:9

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.

Philippians 3 

¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,^[d] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.


Praying for you all in the new year.


Love Always, 
Ashley Lauren